What is a Hot Work Permit and Who Needs It? |
Posted: April 29, 2018 |
When you head to work, you expect to be able to feel safe, to be free from hapless accidents and the like. To keep employees and to maintain a potentially dangerous work contained, work-related permits are necessary for the job. It is a must to have at work areas and equipment should be available to help keep employees safe from potential disaster. Hot work includes welding, brazing, torch cutting, torch soldering, and other work that presents a fire hazard. Hot work is the cause of thousands of accidental fires each ear, and so it is crucial that any contractor conducting this work has a Designated Hot Work Permit and a safe area in which the work can be done. The area must pass all Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA, codes and all those set by the National Fire Protection Association. Those companies or departments that perform hot work are required to obtain a Designated Hot Work Permit. A designated hot work permit needs to be attained by any company that has the goal of preventing hot work fires. These work areas are known are designated hot work areas for any company undergoing such work. Before any hot work can be performed outside of these areas the permit is necessary. They are obtained by those authorized parties within the company, most often department supervisors There are four requirements for every designated hot work area. The first is that the area must be built out of fire-resistive, noncombustible material. It should be free of combustible and flammable contents. As well, a designated hot work area much be separated from other work areas and equipped with a fire extinguisher and other such appropriate equipment. The area needs to be inspected by your local branch of the Environmental Health and Safety organization. Employees in hot work areas are responsible for obtaining the hot work permits necessary. They should be obtained whenever hot work is performed outside of the designated areas and are consequently approved through the EHS. Resources such as the booklet for Hot Work Permit Guidelines and the Hot Work Permit form will help employees get the data they need to get this work done outside of the designated hot work area. When it comes to obtaining Work-related permits, department heads and supervisors must keep a keen eye out for changing laws and annual reapplications or inspections for safety and health reasons. Even one mistake or forgetting to permit your hot work area does not only result in fines, but it could also mean lives lost and safety procedures abandoned.
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