OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

5255 Hampton Blvd.  Spong Hall, suite 2501  Norfolk, Virginia 23529
Phone: (757) 683-4495  Fax: (757) 683-6025

Occupational Safety & Health  Environmental Health  Laboratory Safety Industrial

Hygiene  Radiation Safety  Hazardous Waste  Pollution Prevention

Hot Work Safety Guide

Administered by

Environmental Health and Safety Office

&
Office of Emergency Management

Revision Date: July 2016

Reviewed on: February 2022

 HOT WORK SAFETY GUIDE

A. SUMMARY

The purpose of this guide is to provide information regarding welding and other hot work. It is
designed to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standard 29
CFR 1910 Subpart Q: Welding, Cutting, and Brazing and Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention
Code (VSFPC) Chapter 26: Welding and Other Hot Work.

B. SCOPE

This Guide applies to all Old Dominion University personnel and sub-contractors who
perform hot work on university controlled property. For the purpose of this guide hot work
will be defined as operations including cutting, welding, thermal welding, brazing, soldering,
grinding, thermal spraying, thawing pipe, installation of torch-applied roof systems or any
other similar activity.

C. RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities relating to hot work operations are outlined below.

Fire Safety, Office of Emergency Management (FS):

• Upon request, assess potential work requests to determining the need for a hot work
permit.
• Inspect hot work areas as necessary to assist with compliance.
• Collaborate with supervisors to designate fixed hot work areas and determine appropriate
signage.
• Provide Fire Extinguisher Training.
• Disable and reactivate any fire detection systems as necessary.

Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHSO):

• Conduct atmospheric monitoring when flammable gasses or hazardous atmospheres are

suspected.
• When necessary, conduct air and noise sampling.
• Provide training on appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Supervisors:
• Ensure that personnel performing hot work are suitably trained in the safe operation of
their equipment and fire extinguishers.
• Establish fixed hot work areas for hot work that is conducted on a routine basis.
• Ensure that fixed hot work areas are free of hazards, are appropriately designed, and
that proper signage is posted.
 • Identify and mitigate the hazards including combustible materials that are present or
likely to be present in the work location.
• Ensure routine operations are suspended during hot work if they may create a hazard.
• Advise employees and contractors of flammable materials or hazardous conditions that
exist in areas where hot work will be conducted.
• Ensure that fire protection and extinguishing equipment are properly located at the hot
work location.
• Ensure that hot work area monitoring is provided (see Section F).
• Inspect the work area prior to hot work operations. All flammable and combustible
materials within 35 feet of hot work must either be removed or covered with a flame
resistant tarp.
• Ensure proper PPE is available to employees performing hot work.
• Ensure that Hot Work Permits are properly filled out and are posted near the site of the
work. Note: Completed permits must be forwarded to EHSO after the work has been
completed.
• Notify building occupants if an odor may be present or building safety systems are
impaired due to hot work.
• Immediately stop all unsafe hot work operations that are not in compliance with
this guide.

Hot Work Equipment Operators:

• Complete and maintain appropriate training qualifications required to perform hot work
to include Fire Extinguisher Training.
• Secure authorization for the hot work operation from the appropriate Facilities
Management Supervisor, Project Manager, or other qualified supervisor in the form
of a Hot Work Permit.
• Inspect welding and cutting equipment and operate equipment as instructed by training
and manufacturer’s operating manual.
• Ensure the safe usage of cutting and welding equipment.
• Use appropriate PPE.
• Ensure required hot work fire watch monitoring is present during operations and for 1 hour
after hot work is complete.
• Complete the “Required Precautions Checklist” located on the Hot Work Permit before
beginning work.

D. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

• Post a completed Hot Work Permit on site prior to beginning work.

• Operators who perform hot work must be properly instructed and qualified in the use of
hot work equipment.
• All personnel exposed to hazards created by hot work operations shall be protected by PPE.
• Inspect equipment for damage or defects. Damaged or malfunctioning equipment must be
taken out of service until repaired and marked with the words “Out of Service, Do Not
Use.”
 • No welding or cutting shall be performed on used drums, barrels, tanks, or other
containers until they have been thoroughly cleaned or purged to remove all flammable
liquids and gasses.
• Hot work is not permitted in: explosive atmospheres, flammable or combustible
materials storage areas, unventilated areas, and public areas without additional
protective equipment such as screens or barriers.
• Where the hot work area is accessible to persons other than the operator of the hot work
equipment, a sign displaying ‘Caution. Hot Work In Progress. Stay Clear’ shall be
conspicuously posted.

Suspension of Hot Work:

Hot work activities can be suspended if proper safety precautions are not taken, or if the area
around the hot work has not been properly prepared. Hot work can be suspended by a
supervisor or a representative from EHSO or FS. Hot work activity may resume once safety
precautions have been addressed.

E. PROTECTION OF HOT WORK EQUIPMENT OPERATORS

Appropriate PPE must be used whenever hot work is conducted. At a minimum eye, face, and
hand protection is required. Attendants on hot work area monitoring must also be provided
with appropriate PPE. Other PPE (i.e., boots, gloves, hard hat, fall protection, and protective
garments) must be used as required by OSHA. See the table below for selection of proper
shade number for eye protection.

Welding Operation Shade No.

Shielded metal-arc welding 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, 5/32-inch
10
electrodes
Gas-shielded arc welding (nonferrous) 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, 5/32-
11
inch electrodes
Gas-shielded arc welding (ferrous) 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, 5/32-inch
12
electrodes
Shielded metal-arc welding 3/16, 7/32, 1/4- inch electrodes 12
Shielded metal-arc welding 5/16, 3/8- inch electrodes 14
Carbon arc welding 14
Soldering 2
Torch brazing 3,4
Light cutting, up to 1 inch 3,4
Medium cutting, 1 inch to 6 inches 4,5
Heavy cutting, 6 inches and over 5,6
Light gas welding, up to 1/8 inch 4,5
Medium gas welding, 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch 5,6
Heavy gas welding 1/2 inch and over 6,8

NOTE: In gas welding or oxygen cutting where the torch produces a high yellow light,
 the operator should use a filter or lens that absorbs this light.
• Indoor hot work involving zinc-bearing base materials or filler metals coated with zinc-
bearing materials and lead-base metals or materials (e.g., paint) must be done within local
exhaust hoods, booths, or fixed enclosures. EHSO must be notified in order to conduct air
or noise sampling.
• Screens must be used and arranged in a manner that provides protection for surrounding
persons. Screens may not obstruct or prevent ventilation or egress.
• Local exhaust or general ventilation must be provided and sufficient to keep fumes, gases,
and dusts below the permissible exposure limits and below 10% of the lower explosive
limit for flammable materials.
• Welding cables and other equipment must not obstruct egress and be kept clear of
passageways, ladders, and stairways.
• All operators and attendants of resistance welding or brazing equipment must use
transparent face shields or goggles.

F. FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION

Area Preparation:

• An approved fire extinguisher of sufficient size and appropriate type must be available
within 30 feet of the hot work. The fire extinguisher must have a minimum rating of 2-
A:20-B:C.
• Oxy-acetylene carts should be stored and transported along with an approved fire
extinguisher.
• All movable fire hazards surrounding the hot work area must be removed. Fire hazards
can include but are not limited to any material, state, process, or instance of combustion
in which fuel is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame.
• If neither the fire hazard nor the object to be welded can be moved, guards must be used
to confine heat, sparks, and slag.
• Floor and wall openings or cracks must be covered or guarded so that combustible
materials adjacent to the hot work area will not be exposed to sparks and hot slag.
• Ducts and conveyor systems that might carry sparks must be suitably protected or shut
down.
• Combustible floors must be kept wet, covered with damp sand, or protected by fire-
resistant shields. If a wet floor technique is used, operators using arc welding equipment
must be protected from possible shock.
• If welding is performed on noncombustible walls, precautions must be taken to prevent
ignition of combustibles on the other side of the wall. Welding must not be attempted on
walls or partitions of combustible sandwich-type panel construction.
Hot Work Area Monitoring:

• The area surrounding hot work is required to be monitored by one or more persons
dedicated solely to the look out and control of spot fires that may be caused by hot work
activities.
• The fire watcher shall have fire extinguishing equipment readily available and shall be
trained in the use of such equipment. The area must be monitored for at least one hour
after hot work has been completed to detect and extinguish possible smoldering fires.
• Personnel conducting the fire watch are responsible for extinguishing spot fires and
communicating an alarm.
• The dedicated fire watch should continue for 1 hour after the hot work ends and
the site should be generally monitored for an additional 3 hours after to ensure
there are no smoldering embers. (Rev 3 change)

G. HOT WORK IN CONFINED SPACES

• All personnel working in a confined space must also comply with all the requirements of
the Confined Space Program.
• All hot work performed in confined spaces must be adequately ventilated. Where it is
impossible to provide such ventilation, EHSO must be consulted.
• Oxygen must never be used for ventilation.
• Where a welder must enter a confined space, means will be provided for quickly
removing the worker in case of emergency. An attendant will be stationed outside to
observe the welder at all times and be capable of putting rescue operations into effect.
• When welding or cutting is performed in a confined space, gas cylinders and welding
machines will be left on the outside. Before operations are started, heavy portable
equipment mounted on wheels will be securely blocked to prevent accidental movement.
After welding operations are completed, the welder will mark the hot metal or provide
some other means of warning other workers.

H. HOT WORK PROCEDURE

Old Dominion University employees and contract personnel engaged in hot work must be
authorized to do so by their Supervisor or approved Project Manager. The Supervisor or Project
Manager must complete the following process to ensure that the proper shops are involved with
hot work.

1. If assistance is needed to determine if hot work is being performed contact EHSO or FS.
2. All work orders that require hot work must be initiated by Facilities Management at least 48
hours before the start of the hot work when possible.
3. A Hot Work Permit must be completed and posted at the hot work site prior to the start of
the hot work. The appropriate sections must be filled out. Hot Work Permits should
originate from the shop performing the work and are valid for one day only.
Emergency Hot Work:

For hot work that is deemed an emergency by the supervisor, a work order must be submitted,
however it does not need to be done 48 hours in advance. Supervisors authorizing emergency hot
work must inspect the area prior to allowing hot work operations.
Long-term Hot Work

1. Follow all hot work and Hot Work Permit procedures listed in this Guide.
2. Ensure that the projected start and competition dates are included in the work order.
3. Fill out and maintain a separate permit for every day that hot work is performed.
4. Supervisors must inspect work area daily prior to initiating hot work.
5. Permit holders should be prepared for an on-site safety inspection at all times.
6. At job completion, ensure that the permit is forwarded to EHSO for retention.

Fixed Hot Work Areas

Fixed hot work areas may be established for units or shops that regularly perform hot work in a
fixed location. These areas are exempt from the daily hot work permit process. They may be
issued a six (6) month hot work permit after an inspection of the area by EHSO and FS. Before
any hot work is performed, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that the area is safe
to perform hot work in, and the hot work operator is properly trained (see section F and G).
These areas are subject to random inspections by EHSO and FS personnel. Six month permits
may be revoked if EHSO deems that the hot work operations are unsafe or have not properly
complied with this guide. Contact EHSO 683-4495 to apply for a fixed hot work permit.