SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST

SAFETY BULLETIN / July - September 2006

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Hot Work Safety

John Webb, Safety Specialist

A lot of companies today depend on hot work activities in order to complete the job. Almost every company has some sort of task that would involve hot work, whether it is a demolition contractor using an oxygen & acetylene outfit to cut a steel I-beam, or a plumber using a small butane torch in order to cap off the end of a pipe, most of us use it. I would like to take the time to discuss a few precautions to take when utilizing hot work.

Fire Prevention:

1. Make sure that you have removed any flammable or combustible materials from the area where the hot work activities will be performed. If the materials can’t be moved then you must protect them. One the most common forms of protection would be covering the materials with fire blankets. You want to make sure that the fire blankets completely cover the material.

2. It is a good idea to have a fire watch present during hot work activities. A fire watch should be properly trained in the use of a fire extinguisher and should know who to summons for emergency services when necessary. A fire watch should be present during all hot work activities and should remain in the area for at least 30 minutes after the hot work has been completed as a safety measure. One of the biggest complaints about fire watches that I hear is that why should a company pay somebody to watch someone else work. My response to them is that it is cheaper to pay a fire watch then it is to pay for damaged caused by a fire.

Storage:

1. Oxygen & Acetylene, when in storage, the bottles must be separated by at least 20 feet or they must have a fire rated wall separating them at least 5 feet in height.

2. The bottles must be stored in the upright position and secured.

3. The regulators must be removed and the caps must be placed back on the bottles.

4. Hoses must be stored in a well ventilated area not in the gang box. If you store the hoses in the gang box then you run a risk of having the remaining gas leak out into the box causing an explosion hazard.

Personal Protective Equipment:

1. Employees should wear fire protective clothing when using a torch, welder, or any other type of spark producing tool.

2. A proper face shield or welding helmet should be worn at all times with a protective lens that is rated for the specific type of work. This will help to prevent the employee from getting a “flash burn”.

3. Employees should also do the hot work behind a protective screen or in an area that does not expose other employees to the hazardous flash from the welders.

4. Respirators may also need to worn depending on what type of material you are cutting or welding. Please consult the MSDS on the material to determine if respiratory protection is needed.

By following these simple steps you can prevent you hot work activities from getting out of control.