Hot Work Permit
Some contractor employees using an oxy-acetylene torch (a very hot flame produced by mixing acetylene and oxygen) to cut were seen with no hot work permit. The cutting job was far from a designated welding bay. Their presumption was that as long as it was within the work area, it was fine to do the job without a hot work permit. What do you think?
Some think of the hot work permit as just another piece of paper to fill out while trying to get the job done. However, enough fires have occurred during these types of operations that a formal checklist is required.
The hot work permit helps us all ensure that the area is safe for such operations so that we have a place to return to work tomorrow. A hot work permit is required for any temporary operation (outside a designated welding or hot work bay) involving open flames or producing heat and/or sparks. This includes, but is not limited to, welding, burning, cutting, brazing, grinding and soldering. The hot work permit is really nothing more than a formal checklist to ensure that potential safety issues are addressed in the area you will be doing the work and that someone else agrees it is safe to do the work.
It's not just a form . . . it's an insurance policy to ensure we have a place of employment still standing to return to work tomorrow! Be sure to complete the form looking at each area and not just "fill it out".
