Two sheets. The first is signed before anyone strikes a flame. The second records the fire watch and closes the job.
Sheet 1, the issue
The work, the method and why cold methods fail
Hazards, from combustibles in 10 m to what sits below and behind
Thirteen precautions, each with a tick and a name
Extinguishers, fire blanket, gas detector and thermal camera
Signatures to issue and accept
Sheet 2, the finish
Fire watch rows for breaks, the end, 1 hour and 2 hours
Cancellation, with images kept and detectors restored
Handback of the area
Signatures to extend, cancel and hand back
The sheets follow HSG168, HSE’s guide to fire safety in construction.
Before, during and after the hot work
Before
Visit the area and record what you find. Clear loose combustibles from around the work, from gaps in walls, floors and ceilings, from below, and from the far side of any wall.
Cover what cannot move with non-combustible board. Put two suitable extinguishers within reach.
During
Someone watches for fire throughout, and through every break. The watch takes in anywhere the work could break through to an area you cannot see.
After
Watch the area without a gap for at least an hour after the work ends. Check it again two hours after the end.
That is why hot work should finish two hours before the working day does. Turn isolated alarms back on.
Who signs what
Issued
A person with clearly assigned authority, once the precautions are checked.
Accepted
The person in direct control of the work.
Extended
The new end time, after a check that the job is still safe to carry on.
Cancelled
A person with authority to close the permit, after inspecting the area.
MIG welding a steel beam in a basement, with the office above checked too.
Hot work permit questions
What is hot work?
Any process that generates flame, sparks or heat. HSG168 names oxy-fuel cutting and welding, grinding and cutting metal, torch-applied roofing, heat guns and soldering irons.
What does a hot work permit allow?
The work written on it, at the place written on it, for the times written on it. It is never blanket approval for hot work anywhere on site. When that job ends or the time runs out, the permit ends too.
Who issues a hot work permit?
Someone with clearly assigned authority, who knows enough about the work to spot the hazards and set the precautions. HSG168 asks for the person authorising and the person in direct control to be named.
How long does a hot work permit last?
HSE sets no standard length. Write in a start and an end that fit this one job. Close the permit once the area has had its final inspection, so the fire watch comes first.
How long does a hot work fire watch last?
At least an hour of continuous watching after the hot work ends, then at least one more check two hours after the end. Keep the watch going through breaks, and finish hot work two hours before the end of the day so the checks can be done.
