Environmental Health and Safety

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Penn State University Hot Work Permits

• Environmental Health and Safety
• 6 Eisenhower Parking Deck
• University Park, PA. 16802
• 814-865-6391
• www.ehs.psu.edu

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Hot Work

• Goals and Objectives
• At the end of this program you will
• - Recognize work that requires the use of
• Hot Work Permits.
• - Be familiar with and able to implement the
  PSU Hot
• Work Permit Process.

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What is Hot Work?

• Definition
• Hot Work is any work using open flames or sources
  of heat that could ignite materials in the work
  area.

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Hot Work

• Examples of hot work include
• - welding
• - burning
• - brazing
• - propane soldering
• - oxyacetylene cutting
• - grinding ferrous metals
• - torch applied roofing
• - heat gun use

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Why Hot Work Permits?

• Every year fires related to hot work activities
  occur causing significant property damage and
  business interruption. Many of these fires could
  have been prevented if employees and contractors
  had used appropriate fire prevention measures
  while conducting hot work.
• During a recent 5 year period FM Global reported
  that after Arson and Housekeeping, Hot Work was
  the third leading cause of fires in FM insured
  properties with an average fire loss totaling
  1.4 million dollars per incident.
• Penn State University requires the use of the Hot
  Work Permit system as a primary tool for
  preventing the outbreak of fire due hot work
  operations.

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Fire Potential

• Heat Source Temp
• Electric Arc Welder 10,900ºF
• O2 / Acetylene Torch 6,330ºF
• Propane Torch 3,595F
• Welding Torch Slag gt2,000ºF
• Electric Heat Gun 600 1,350ºF
• Radial Metal Cut Saw gt1,000ºF
• Wheel Grinder 1,000ºF

• Ignition Temp
• Styrene 914ºF
• Typical Asphalt 905ºF
• Polyurethane Foam 824ºF
• Lubricating Oil 500 - 700ºF
• Mineral Spirits 473ºF
• Wood Products 380 - 800ºF
• Corrugated Paper 380 - 500ºF
• Information provided by FM Global

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Is Hot Work Necessary??

• Question to Ask
• Can the job be avoided or is there a safer
  way?

• Before beginning any hot work, ask yourself if
  the work can be done a safer way. Hot work is
  potentially very hazardous and should be avoided
  if not absolutely necessary.

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Work that may not require the use of a hot work
permit includes

• Areas that are maintained and identified as
• - Welding Shops
• - Maintenance shops with designated
• areas for hot work activities
• Work on equipment (e.g. Farm Implements)
  occurring in areas outside of buildings where the
  potential for fire development is minimal.

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Starting the Process
Procedures Before beginning hot work a hot work
permit must be completed. Permits can be
obtained from your supervisor or the Penn State
Environmental Health and Safety Web Page at
www.ehs.psu.edu
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Hot Work Permit

• WARNING!
• HOT WORK IN PROGRESS
• WATCH FOR FIRE!
• In case of FIRE call 911
• University Park Emergency Numbers
• PSU Police 863-1111
• EHS 865-6391
• OPP Service Desk 865-4731

• Permits are issued for the specific job
  being done, and for a specific time period. The
  time period is usually for the working shift, but
  may never exceed twenty-four hours.
• Completed Permits need to be displayed in the
  hot work area.

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Hot Work Safety Precautions

• Required Safety Precautions
• ? Fire suppression sprinklers, fire hoses or
  fire extinguishers are available and operable.
• ? Hot work equipment is operable and in good
  repair.
• ? Smoke / fire detectors in the immediate area
  of the hot work have been temporarily disabled
  until
• the hot work is complete.
• ? Building occupants have been protected or
  isolated from the hot work area.
• ? Drums, barrels and tanks have been cleaned and
  purged of flammables and toxics,
• all tank feeds are closed, and the tank is
  vented.

• The employee performing the Hot Work has the
  responsibility to verify that all necessary
  precautions have been taken at the worksite.

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Safety Precautions (contd)

• Are Fire Suppression Sprinklers in service ?

• Welding and other hot work have been found to
  be a leading cause of fires in University
  settings. Sprinkler systems should remain in
  service in the hot work area, unless specifically
  approved by the EHS Fire Protection Engineer. If
  a sprinkler system needs to be taken out of
  service Campus specific procedures must be
  followed.

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Safety Precautions (contd)

• Is cutting and welding equipment in good repair ?

• Gas hoses, backflow preventers, fire resistive
  tarpaulins, curtains and other cutting and
  welding equipment must be maintained in good
  repair.

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Safety Precautions (contd)Anything that can
burn must be removed or protected from the
immediate work area.

• Requirements within 35 feet
• ? Area within 35 feet of the work area have been
  properly swept to remove any combustible debris.
• ? Flammable and ignitable materials and debris
  have been moved at least 35 feet from the hot
  work area
• or covered and protected with fire resistant
  materials.
• ? Cracks or holes in floors, walls and ceilings
  (including ductwork) are covered or plugged.
• ? Combustible floors have been covered with
  fire-resistive material
• Requirements within 50 feet
• ? Explosives, compressed gas cylinders or stored
  fuel have been moved at least 50 feet from the
  hot work
• area or have been protected from the hot
  work.
• Work on walls or Ceilings
• ? Construction is noncombustible and has no
  combustible covering or insulation.
• ? Areas adjacent to walls being worked on are
  checked for combustibles and any combustibles are
  either
• removed or protected.

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Fire Watch

• Fire Watch
• Fire watch will be provided during and
• for at least 30 minutes after hot work has
  been completed and during any coffee or lunch
  breaks.
• Fire watch is supplied with suitable
• extinguishers, or charged small hose.
• Fire watch is trained in use of this
• equipment and in sounding alarm.

• Fire Watch Personnel's main responsibility is to
  monitor the area for the possible development of
  fire from the hot work. Other job tasks can be
  performed as long as they are able to adequately
  monitor the area for potential fire.

• Fire Watch Personnel must be trained to use fire
  extinguishers and other fire extinguishing
  equipment that is present.
• Fire Watch Personnel must be aware of how to
  report emergencies and to activate building fire
  alarm systems.
• Fire Watch Personnel must be identified and their
  qualifications verified prior to commencing hot
  work.

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Fire Watch (contd)

• Fire Watch required during Hot Work and a minimum
  of 30
• minutes following completion of work.
• Yes ____ No ____ Name _______________________
  ____
• A fire watch is needed for all hot work
  activities unless the hot
• work area has no fire hazards or combustible
  exposures. The fire
• watch must have fire-extinguishing equipment
  readily available
• and be trained in its use. They must also be
  familiar with the
• procedures for sounding an alarm in the event of
  a fire. The fire
• watch will watch for fires in the exposed areas
  and are
• responsible for extinguishing spot fires and
  communicating
• alarms immediately.
• The fire watch may be assigned other work duties
  while in the hot
• work area, however they need to be vigilant in
  watching for fires.

• Should other precautions fail, trained personnel
  will be needed with fire
• fighting equipment to extinguish any fires which
  start. Personnel and
• equipment must be readily available before hot
  work is started.

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Hot Work Completion

• When work is completed
• ? Inspected work area, and any potentially
  affected surrounding areas, for fire, fire
  damage, or potential for fire.
• ? Reactivated smoke / fire detectors that were
  disabled because of the hot work.
• I verify that the above location has been
  examined and the necessary precautions have been
  taken to
• prevent the outbreak of fire due to Hot Work.
• Employee Signature (Issued) _____________________
  _______ Date ___________Time ______
• Employee Signature (Closed) _____________________
  _______ Date __________ Time ______
• Supervisor Signature ______________________
  __________Date ___________
• This Permit is valid only for the day issued

• Before leaving the area for the day, verify that
  no smoldering
• fires have developed within walls, cracks in
  floors, or in
• ceiling areas where you have been working. Return
  the
• Hot Work permit to your supervisor to sign, file
  a copy and
• and forward to EHS.

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Summary

• All employees who are expected to perform hot
  work must be familiar and trained in Hot Work
  Procedures.
• Jobs like electric arc welding, brazing, gas
  soldering, oxygen-acetylene cutting, welding and
  torch applied roofing work may require the use of
  a hot work permit.
• Permits are issued for a specific job and for a
  specific time frame.
• All necessary equipment must be on site and in
  good working order before work begins.
• A fire watch must be present for the duration of
  hot work and for at least 30 minutes after work
  is completed.

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Summary (contd)

• A fire inspection must be conducted by the person
  doing the hot work before leaving the job site.
• Completed Permits are to be returned to
  supervisors.
• Supervisors shall return completed permits to the
  University Fire Protection Engineer at
  Environmental Health and Safety.
• By following safe hot work practices and
  procedures you will help maintain a fire safe
  environment for the Penn State University
  Community.

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Resources

• To view the entire Penn State Hot Work Program
  click here http//www.ehs.psu.edu/fire/HotWorkProg
  ram.doc
• If you have any questions concerning Hot Work
  procedures contact your Supervisor, Safety
  Officer or the University Fire Protection
  Engineer.
• Steve Triebold
• Environmental Health and Safety
• 6 Eisenhower Parking Deck
• University Park, PA. 16802
• 814-865-6391
• (sgt4_at_psu.edu)

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Environmental Health and Safety Penn State
University University Park, PA814-865-6391www.e
hs.psu.edu

• Program developed by