HOT WORK

Hot Work

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Index

Page Number

Allied                                                                                                              4, 5, 6, 7

Burner                                                                                                             5,

Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)                  3, 4

Confined spaces                                                                                              3, 7

Conformance                                                                                                  4

Designated areas                                                                                             3, 4, 5, 6

EHS                                                                                                                4, 5

Fire watch                                                                                                       4

Fire                                                                                                                  4, 5, 6, 9

Flammable                                                                                                       3, 4

Guarding                                                                                                         8

Hazard                                                                                                            3, 6

Higher risks                                                                                                    4, 7

Hot work permits                                                                                            3, 4, 7, 10

Hot work                                                                                                         3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9,10

HSW Act                                                                                                        8

Isolation,                                                                                                         4, 6

Lower risk                                                                                                       7

Non-welding hot work risk                                                                             7

Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA                                3, 6, 8, 9

Portable Electronic Devices (PED)                                                                6

Positive drop test                                                                                            8

PPE                                                                                                                 8, 9

PUWER                                                                                                          8

Sources of ignition                                                                                          3, 6

Torch                                                                                                               5, 7

Welding, soldering, brazing, and cutting,                                                      3, 6,

Wetting down (reducing combustibility of materials)                                   4

Work places                                                                                                    3, 8

Working surface                                                                                             4

Hot Work

Hot work refers to any process or activity that can be a source of ignition or sparks that can produce fire when a flammable material is in close proximity or can be a source of fire hazard irrespective of whether a flammable material is present. Hot work is thus any activity that involves burning, flammable substances, welding and use of fire or spark producing devices. Examples of common hot work activities can include soldering, welding, brazing, and cutting. In the presence of flammable materials, processes such as drilling and grinding become hot work operations. It is important to observe caution when carrying out hot work to minimize occupational health and safety hazards such as burning, scorching, or explosions. In some countries, such as Canada and the UK, a hot work permit is a statutory requirement for all individuals or factories that carry out related operations (University of Maryland, 2013; CCOHS, 2012). In the US, Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) (2014), maintains requirements for hot work operations in the marine industry by the use of specific regulations. In addition, it is important not to carry out any hot work operations in a confined space until an authorized person has tested the atmosphere and determined that it is safe, non-hazardous, and free from combustible or flammable materials. Potentially hazardous areas can include fuel tanks, tank batteries, mud tanks, gas separators, as well as confined spaces in which gases can accumulate (OSHA, 2014). Work places in which hot work process take place should have suitable fire extinguisher equipment readily available, for example a hose, sand buckets, water pails, or portable extinguishers (Fire Protection Association, 2013). Various types of hot work operations require the activities to be conducted in designated areas that have undergone expert assessment and passed.

Designate Hot Work Areas

Undertaking hot work operations requires the activities to be carried out in designated areas. A designated hot work area is a permanent location designed for hot work. These areas do not require a daily permit to perform hot work. After initial assessment, audits and verification exercises can be conducted to ascertain conformance to regulatory requirements and adherence to set safety procedures. Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) (2012) observes that getting a hot work permit is only a step involved in managing a hot work program aims at reducing the risk of starting fires in work places. According to the Victorian Government Department of Education (2006), all hot work operations should “only be performed where strict controls are in place to prevent risks from occurring.” Consequently, it is necessary to institute various controls before undertaking any hot work processes. These include wetting down (reducing combustibility of materials), isolating work places, removing explosive or flammable materials or residues, using appropriate PPE, using suitable working tools, locating fire extinguishers within reach, and instituting emergency procedures (Fire Protection Association, 2013). A designated hot work area should be Inspected and approved by the facility management or EHS (Tanaka, 2007). In addition, it should be non-combustible, fire-resistive, and free from combustibles and flammables, suitably segregated from adjacent areas, and equipped with heat detectors (as opposed to smoke detectors). The working surface for soldering, grinding, brazing, and other hot work activities should be free from non-combustible materials. Tiled surfaces are encouraged. Fire Protection Association (2013) also advices it is necessary to have additional fire watch personnel to check against fire during hot work operations, especially in areas at higher risks of catching fire.

Necessary Inspections before Undertaking Hot Work Processes

It is essential to inspect various parameters and observe certain essentials prior to using a designated area for conducting hot work processes and allied activities (Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 2013). All combustible materials, papers, notebooks, and chemicals should be removed from the surrounding environments, minimum 35 foot clearance (Manuele, 2012). It is necessary to inspect the oxy-acetylene hoses for holes, pinched points, cracks, or any other defects and ensure that the hoses fit securely on the gas valve and the burner or torch. In addition, it is vital to replace or repair hoses that present with defects before using. Loose clothing, long hairs, dangling jewelries, and other suspended wears should b.............