Hot Work Workplace Safety Program

Purpose

Welding and Hot Work, such as brazing or grinding present a significant opportunity for fire and injury. All precautions of this program must be applied prior to commencing any welding or hot work by company employees or contractors. Reference: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.252

Responsibilities

Management

• Provide training for all employees whose task include heat, spark or flame producing operations such as welding, brazing, or grinding.
• Develop and monitor effective hot work procedures
• Provide safe equipment for hot work
• Provide proper and effective PPE for all hot work

Supervisors

• Monitor all hot work operations
• Ensure all hot work equipment and PPE are in safe working order
• Allow only trained and authorized employees to conduct hot work
• Ensure permits are used for all hot work outside authorized areas

Employees

• Follow all hot work procedures
• Properly use appropriate hot work PPE
• Inspect all hot work equipment before use• Report any equipment problems
• Not use damaged hot work equipment

Definitions

Welding/Hot Works Procedures: any activity which results in sparks, fire, molten slag, or hot material which has the potential to cause fires or explosions.

Examples of Hot Works: Cutting, Brazing, Soldering, Thawing Pipes, Torch Applied Roofing, Grinding and Welding.

Special Hazard Occupancies: Any area containing Flammable Liquids, Dust Accumulation, Gases, Plastics, Rubber and Paper Products.

Hazards

• Fires & Explosions
• Skin burns
• Welding "blindness"
• Respiratory hazards from fumes & smoke

Training

Training shall include:
• Review of requirements listed in OSHA 1910.252
• Use of Hot Works Permit System
• Supervisor Responsibilities
• Fire Watch Responsibilities - specifically, the fire watch must know:
1. That their ONLY duty is Fire Watch
2. When they can terminate the watch
3. How to use the provided fire extinguisher
4. How to activate fire alarm if fire is beyond the incipient stage
• Operator Responsibilities
• Contractors Responsibilities
• Documentation requirements
• Respirator Usage requirements
• Fire Extinguisher training

Hot Works Procedures

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.252 required fire prevention actions for welding/hot works.

Where practicable all combustibles shall be relocated at least 35 feet from the work site. Where relocation is impractical, combustibles shall be protected with flame proof covers, shielded with metal, guards, curtains, or wet down material to help prevent ignition of material.

Ducts, conveyor systems, and augers that might carry sparks to distant combustibles shall be protected or shut down.

Where cutting or welding is done near walls, partitions, ceilings, or a roof of combustible construction, fire-resistant shields or guards shall be provided to prevent ignition.

If welding is to be done on a metal wall, partition, ceiling, or roof, precautions shall be taken to prevent ignition of combustibles on the other side, due to conduction or radiation of heat. Where combustibles cannot be relocated on the opposite side of the work, a fire watch person shall be provided on the opposite side of the work.

Welding shall not be attempted on a metal partition, wall, ceiling or roof having a covering nor on walls having combustible sandwich panel construction.

Cutting or welding on pipes or other metal in contact with combustible walls, partitions, ceilings, or roofs shall not be undertaken if the work is

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