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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Hot Work
Permit Process


Structural Fire Program
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Hot Work Permits
Why do we need hot work permits?

Every year fires occur that could have
been prevented had employees used appropriate
fire prevention measures.

The National Park Service requires the use of the
Hot Work Permit Process as the primary means of
preventing fires due to non-routine open flame and
high temperature processes. (NFPA standard 51B)
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Hot Work Permits
Goals and Objectives:

At the end of this session you will able to:

- Recognize work that requires the use of
Hot Work permits.

- Be familiar with the Hot Work Permit System.


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Hot Work Permits
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 Permits
Examples of hot work are:

welding
burning
brazing
propane soldering
oxyacetylene cutting
grinding ferrous metals
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Responsible Person:
A person in the park or
work unit with the
proper training will be
designated as the person
responsible for issuing
the Hot Work permits,
at most sites this is the
person designated as the
Park Structural Fire
Coordinator (PSFC)
Hot Work Permits
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Hot Work Permits
Procedures:

Before beginning any
hot work project, contact the
Park Structural Fire
Coordinator (PSFC)
to have a Hot Work site inspected
and a permit issued.
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Hot Work Permits
Cutting / Welding
Permit

Location: Job No.



Date: Job No.

Location & Building: Floor

Nature of Job:

Welders Name:

The above location has been examined. The
precautions checked
on the reverse of this card have been taken to prevent
fire.
Permission is granted for this work.

Permit Date: Time:
Expires AM
PM


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
should never exceed 24
hours.
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Hot Work Permits
Required checks:

Sprinklers are in service.
Cutting and welding equipment in good repair.

Precautions within 35 ft. (10 m.) of work.
Floors swept clean of combustibles.
Combustible floors wet down, covered with damp sand or
fire-resistive sheets.
Flammable liquids removed; other combustibles, if not
removed protected with fire-resistive tarpaulins or metal shields.
Explosive atmosphere in area eliminated.
All wall and floor openings covered.
Fire-resistive tarpaulins suspended beneath work.

Work on Walls or Ceilings
Construction is noncombustible and without combustible
covering or isolation.
Combustibles moved away from other side of wall.

Work on Enclosed Equipment
Enclosed equipment cleaned of all combustibles.
Containers purged of flammable liquids.

Fire Watch
Fire watch will be provided during and for at least 30 minutes
after work, 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.
The PSFC has the
responsibility of
verifying that all
necessary
precautions have
been taken at the
worksite.
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Hot Work Permits
Required Precautions:

Sprinklers are in service if
they are in the structure.


Welding and other Hot Work have been found to be high
ranking causes of fires. Sprinkler systems must
remain in service in the hot work area, unless specifically
approved by the PSFC.
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Hot Work Permits
Required Precautions:

Cutting and welding equipment
in good repair.

Gas hoses, backflow preventers, fire resistive tarpaulins
and curtains are on site, the appropriate size and type of
portable fire extinguisher are available and other cutting
and welding equipment must be in good repair before the
permit is issued.
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Hot Work Permits
Required Precautions:
Precautions within 35 ft. (10 m.) of work.
Floors swept clean of combustibles.
Combustible floors wet down, covered with damp sand or
fire-resistive sheets.
Flammable liquids removed; other combustibles, if not
removed protected with fire-resistive tarpaulins or metal
shields.
Explosive atmosphere in area eliminated.
All wall and floor openings covered.
Fire-resistive tarpaulins suspended beneath work.

Work on Walls or Ceilings
Construction is noncombustible and without combustible
covering or isolation.
Combustibles moved away from other side of wall.

Work on Enclosed Equipment
Enclosed equipment cleaned of all combustibles.
Containers purged of flammable liquids.


Anything that can burn must be removed from the
immediate work area.
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Hot Work Permits
Required Precautions:


Fire Watch
Fire watch will be provided during and for at least 30
minutes
after work, 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.
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 the permit
is issued.
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Hot Work Permits
Required Precautions:


Fire Watch
Fire watch will be provided during and for at least 30 minutes
after work, 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 may
not do other jobs which
detract from their primary
responsibility.
Fire Watch personnel must be trained to use fire extinguishment
media provided.

Fire Watch personnel must be aware of how to report emergencies,
and in emergency evacuation procedures.

Fire Watch personnel must be identified and their qualifications verified,
before permits are issued.
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Hot Work Permits
Required Precautions:

CAN THE JOB BE AVOIDED?

IS THERE A SAFER WAY?
Before beginning any hot work, ask yourself if the work can be
done a safer way. Hot work is very hazardous and should be
avoided if not absolutely necessary.
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Hot Work Permits
Final Checkup By Welder

Work area and all adjacent areas to which sparks and heat might have
spread (such as floors above and below and on opposite side of walls)
were inspected after the work was completed and were found fire safe.


Before leaving the area for the day, at least 60 minutes
after the last hot work has been completed, verify that no
smoldering fires have developed within walls, cracks in floors,
or in ceiling areas where you have been working.
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Hot Work Permits - Summary
Jobs like electric arc welding, brazing, gas soldering, and
oxygen-acetylene cutting and welding should have hot
work permits issued by the Park Structural Fire Coordinator (PSFC)
before work begins.

Permits are issued for a specific job, for a
specific time frame, to a specific person.

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 60 minutes after work is done.

A fire inspection must be conducted by the person doing the hot work
before leaving the job site.

Permits are to be returned to the person who issued them.
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NFPA 909
Standard for the Protection of Cultural Resources
Including Museums, Libraries, Places of Worship, and
Historic Properties

3-6 Hot Work.
Hot work shall not be permitted unless there is no other viable alternative.


3-6.1 Hot Work Permit.
A hot work permit shall be issued by the PSFC to authorize work with
any open flame devices used in soldering, brazing, cutting, and welding.

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NFPA 909
Standard for the Protection of Cultural Resources
Including Museums, Libraries, Places of Worship, and
Historic Properties

3-6.2 Permit Requirements.

The hot work permit shall prescribe measures to protect the collections and ensure
life safety, and shall include the following requirements as a minimum:

(a) A person trained in the use of fire extinguishers shall be stationed in the
vicinity of the hot work operation for the duration of the work and for 60 minutes
thereafter with frequent monitoring during the following 3 hours

(b) All combustibles within 35 ft (11 m) of the work site shall be relocated or
be covered with noncombustible or fire-retardant coated tarpaulins or otherwise
shielded with metal or noncombustible guards or curtains.
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Where to get questions
answered?
Your supervisor is responsible for all necessary equipment
and for contacting the person in your park or work unit that
can provide additional assistance, such as the PSFC.

The PSFC will issue all permits and answer any specific
questions about fire protection systems, fire prevention
measures and precautions.

National Structure Fire Program Office, NIFC, Boise Idaho
208-387-5209 or 208-387-5245.


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Another historic structure
damaged
3/18/02, 11:53 pm
212 firefighters, 33 engines, 19 trucks, 8
medical/rescue and 18 overhead responded
to a report of flames showing.
Renovation/adaptive reuse of a 196,000sf.,
4 story NPS owned historic cannery
building
Cause Accidental (welding operation)
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Historic NPS structure damaged
from lack of enforced
Hotwork Permitting

Estimated property value = $10,000,000.00
Estimated contents value = $10,000,000.00
Estimated property damage = $6,000,000.00
Estimated content damaged =$5,000,000.00
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These losses could have been easily prevented
had a hot work permitting process been in
place and enforced!

Dont let this happen to you!