41.3.4* Hot Work Permit

1. The hot work equipment to be used shall be in satisfactory operating condition and in good repair.
2. Where combustible materials, such as paper clippings, wood shavings, or textile fibers, are on the floor, the floor shall be swept clean for a radius of 35 ft (11 m) and the following criteria also shall be met:
   1. Combustible floors shall be kept wet, covered with damp sand, or protected by a listed welding blanket, welding pad, or equivalent.
   2. Where floors have been wet down, personnel operating arc welding equipment or cutting equipment shall be protected from possible shock.
3. * All combustibles shall be relocated at least 35 ft (11 m) in all directions from the work site, and the following criteria also shall be met:
   1. If relocation is impractical, combustibles shall be protected by a listed welding blanket, welding pad, or equivalent.
   2. To prevent the entrance of sparks, the edges of covers at the floor shall be tight including at the point at which several covers overlap where a large pile is being protected.
4. Openings or cracks in walls, floors, or ducts within 35 ft (11 m) of the site shall be covered or sealed with listed fire-rated or noncombustible material to prevent the passage of sparks to adjacent areas.
5. Ducts and conveyor systems that might carry sparks to distant combustibles shall be shielded, or shut down, or both.
6. If hot work is done near walls, partitions, ceilings, or roofs of combustible construction, they shall be protected by a listed welding curtain, welding blanket, welding pad, or equivalent.
7. If hot work is done on one side of a wall, partition, ceiling, or roof, one of the following criteria shall be met:
   1. Precautions shall be taken to prevent ignition of combustibles on the other side by relocating the combustibles.
   2. If it is impractical to relocate combustibles, a fire watch shall be provided on the side opposite from where the work is being performed.
8. Hot work shall not be attempted on a partition, wall, ceiling, or roof that has a combustible covering or insulation, or on walls or partitions of combustible sandwich-type panel construction.
9. Hot work that is performed on pipes or other metal that is in contact with combustible walls, partitions, ceilings, roofs, or other combustibles shall not be undertaken if the work is close enough to cause ignition by conduction.
10. Fully charged and operable fire extinguishers that are appropriate for the type of possible fire shall be available immediately at the work area.
11. If existing hose lines are located within the hot work area defined by the permit, they shall be connected and ready for service but shall not be required to be unrolled or charged.
12. The following shall apply to hot work done in close proximity to a sprinkler head:
    1. A wet rag shall be laid over the sprinkler head and then removed at the conclusion of the welding or cutting operation.
    2. During hot work, special precautions shall be taken to avoid accidental operation of automatic fire detection or suppression systems (e.g., special extinguishing systems or sprinklers).
13. The operator and nearby personnel shall be suitably protected against dangers such as heat, sparks, and slag.
14. * In instances where the scope of work and the tools used to conduct hot work result in possible travel of slag, sparks, spatter, or similar mobile sources of ignition farther than 35 ft (11 m), the PAI shall be permitted to extend the distances and areas addressed in 41.3.4.2(2) through 41.3.4.2(4).
15. * In instances where the scope of work and tools used to conduct hot work are known to be incapable of generating slag, sparks, spatter or similar mobile sources of ignition capable of leaving the immediate area of the applied hot work, the PAI shall be permitted to do the following:
    1. Reduce the distances and areas addressed in 41.3.4.2(2) through 41.3.4.2(4) to distances and areas that he or she considers fire safe for the intended operation.
    2. Describe those distances and areas on the hot work permit.

[51B:5.4.2]