A Hot Work Permit is required for operations that include welding, brazing, torch cutting, grinding, and torch soldering within a building. These operations create heat, sparks, and hot slag that have potential to ignite flammable and combustible materials in the area surrounding hot work activities.
Hot work operators are employees/contractors who perform hot work operations. It is mandatory for a Hot Work operator to obtain a Hot Work Permit before commencing hot work. However, a Hot Work Permit is not required for emergencies.
Safety Measures for Hot Work Permit
- All flammable and combustible materials within a 35 foot radius of hot work must be removed.
- When flammable and combustible materials within a 35 foot radius of hot work cannot be removed, they must be covered with flame retardant tarps and a fire watch must be posted. Safety measures as provided in the Hot Work Permit checklist needs to be ticked as applicable.
General Guidelines
- Hot work should be performed in designated hot work rooms whenever it is practical.
- A Hot Work Permit is valid for one day – one month, depending on time needed for hot work. Renewal can be requested after expiry date of the Hot Work Permit. Not all renewals will need re-inspection on site by a Safety Representative. Re-inspection of Hot Work Permit site will be at the discretion of the Safety Representative, depending on the nature of the hot work.
- Hot Work Permit should be posted in the designated area of hot work as per duration of the activity.
Read more about hot work safefy and other safety issues in Environmental Health & Safety's "Speaking of Safety" blog.
For questions regarding Environmental Health & Safety or the "Speaking of Safety" blog, please contact Vicki Brown at vibrown@llu.edu.