ETSU Physical Plant

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Subject: Hot Work Permit Policy

Effective Date: July 1, 2003

Date of Last Revision/Review: July 1, 2003

Purpose/General Discussion:

This is a management policy/program for controlling the fire hazards of hot work operations. The Hot Work Permit Policy has been established to prevent unintended ignition of combustible and flammable materials. The use of portable hot work equipment must be controlled to prevent fires. Outside contractors performing repair and alteration work are of particular concern since they are not familiar with our university buildings or processes, and may not be supervised closely. Hot work done outside of a fixed facility should comply with NFPA 51B, Standard for Fire Prevention During Welding, Cutting and Other Hot Work, and require the use of a Hot Work Permit.

Regulatory Authority:

Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910.252 (OSHA's Hot Work Standard) United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration, Welding Cutting and Brazing.

Organizational Assignments/Responsibilities:

This policy applies to all ETSU Physical Plant shops and vendors/contractors who perform welding, cutting and other hot work on ETSU properties.

The Supervisor of the Physical Plant shop performing welding, cutting and other hot work tasks shall review hot work procedures for each Hot Work Permit form submitted and sign the Hot Work Permit as applicable. Approval of the Hot Work Permit by the Health and Safety Specialist or his/her designee is required prior to the start of the hot work.

ETSU Project Managers shall review welding, cutting and other hot work and locations proposed by vendors and contractors for applicability of this policy. Project Managers are responsible for advising contractors/vendors about the Hot Work Permit procedures for the purpose of recognizing, evaluating and controlling hot work hazards on campus. A representative of the contractor or vendor must complete the Hot Work Permit and submit as described above.

Each individual performing welding or cutting and any hot work activity defined below shall ensure precautions have been taken as prescribed in the Hot Work Permit form prior to commencing any work. The Hot Work Permit form shall be submitted to the Physical Plant office at least 24 hours prior to commencing any hot work in areas not approved for hot work.

Compliance:

Hot Work is any activity that could produce flames, sparks, slag, or other hot fragments that might act as an ignition source to flammable materials in the area. Hot Work also includes any activity that could generate sufficient smoke or heat to activate a fire alarm detection system. It includes, but is not limited to: welding, cutting, torch soldering, brazing, heat treating, pipe thawing, and grinding. Too often, persons who use, hire, or supervise these processes do not fully appreciate that improper use and lack of fire safeguards can result in loss of life and property by fire and explosion. Cutting and certain arc welding processes produce thousands of ignition sources in the form of sparks and hot slag. These globules of molten metal have scattered horizontally as far as 35 feet, setting fire to all kinds of combustible materials.

Permissible Areas

Cutting, welding and other hot work shall be permitted only in areas that are or have been made fire safe. Assuming hot work is necessary (See Alternatives to Hot Work), the first step is to determine if the work can be done in a designated or approved hot work area. A designated area is a specific area designed or approved for hot work.

Approved Hot Work Areas - Areas that are not subject to a Hot Work Permit include:

· Welding and Cutting Shops; and

Detached outdoor areas that are free of flammable and combustible materials (i.e., dry brush, grass, leaves) and is suitably separated from adjacent areas.

Prohibited Hot Work Areas

If hot work cannot be accomplished in an approved hot work area, there is a need to determine whether hot work is prohibited altogether. Sometimes an area simply cannot be made safe for cutting, welding or any other hot work and shall not be permitted. Some examples of prohibited hot work situations are as follows:

· Where processes involving flammable liquids, gases and dusts cannot be shut down and made safe;

· Where lint conditions are severe beyond correction;

· On partitions, walls, ceilings, or roofs with combustible coverings (e.g., expanded plastic insulation);

· On pipe or other metals that can conduct enough heat to ignite nearby combustibles;

· In the presence of explosive atmospheres (e.g., mixtures of flammable gases, vapors, liquids, or dusts with air);

· In sprinklered buildings while such protection is impaired;

· In areas near the storage of large quantities of exposed, readily ignitable materials such as bulk sulfur, rolled paper, or cotton; and

· In areas not authorized by management.

Fire Watch

A fire watchers job is to monitor the area and watch for fires from the hot work operation and to make sure that persons not involved in the hot work operation do not come into or move combustible or flammable materials in to the work zone during the hot work operation.

Fire watchers shall be required by the individual responsible for authorizing the hot work wherever hot work is performed in locations that a minor fire might develop, or where:

· Appreciable combustible materials in building construction or contents are closer than 35 ft. (11 m) to the point of operation;

· Appreciable combustibles are more than 35 ft. (11 m) away but are easily ignited by sparks;

· Wall or floor openings within a 35 ft. (11 m) radius expose combustible material in adjacent areas, including concealed spaces in walls or floors;

· Combustible materials are adjacent to the opposite side of metal partitions, walls, ceilings, or roofs and are likely to be ignited by heat conduction or radiation.

Fire watchers shall have a fully charged and operable fire extinguisher or other extinguishing method available. In either case, the fire watcher will be trained to use the fire extinguishing equipment.

Fire watchers shall be familiar with facilities and procedures for sounding an alarm in the event of a fire.

Fire watchers shall watch for fires in all exposed areas, and try to extinguish them first only when obviously within the capacity of the equipment available, or otherwise sound the alarm immediately.

A fire watch shall be maintained for at least 30 minutes after completion of cutting, welding and other hot work operations to detect and extinguish smoldering fires.

If the individual conducting the fire watch must leave the area momentarily (to use the restroom, retrieve parts or tools from a service vehicle, etc.), they must arrange to have someone else take over the fire watch responsibility during the time they are away.

Alternatives to Hot Work

Manual sawing versus cutting;
Manual filing, versus mechanical grinding; and
Using a threaded, bolted, or clamped connection versus a soldered or welded connection.

Precautions

Precautions required include but are not limited to:

· Valves, regulators, hoses, and torches shall be checked regularly;

· Welding or cutting on vessels that contain combustible or flammable material is prohibited unless completely purged and residue removed;

· Gas cutting and welding equipment shall be secured to avoid damage and disturbance;

· Welding curtains should be used to prevent hot slag from scattering and to protect the vision of persons in close proximity to the hot work.

· Personnel performing hot work shall ensure that the atmosphere is free of flammable or combustible vapors. Should doubt arise, consult the Health and Safety Department to determine if the work should continue;

· Ensure adequate ventilation is provided;

· Segregate combustible material at least 35 feet from work area;

· Provide guarding in the form of shielding and covering if combustibles cannot removed or segregated;

· Remove combustibles from common surfaces when welding on metal walls, partitions, or ceilings is to be completed;

· Special attention to welding or cutting pipes in contact with walls made with combustible materials; and

Post a fire watch in areas where combustibles cannot be safely segregated from work, where sparks may impact lower levels in cases of elevated work, or where a fire alarm has been partly or completely disable in order to perform the work.

Contractors and Vendors

ETSU Project Managers shall evaluate hot work activities to be conducted by contractors or vendors for adherence to the Hot Work Permit policy prior to the start of work. ETSU employees, contractors and vendors are required to complete the Hot Work Permit form at least 24 hours prior to the start of work unless precluded by an emergency situation.

HOT WORK PERMIT FORM Page 1 of 2

This form is to be filled out in its entirety by the responsible individual who has personally inspected the proposed worksite. Unless impossible due to an emergency situation, it must be received by (not simply mailed to) the ETSU Physical Plant at least 24 hours prior to beginning the project.

In emergency situations, notify the Physical Plant prior to starting work.

PLEASE TELL US WHO WILL DO THE WORK

Name of responsible person: E-mail address:

Performing shop or company: Telephone:

r Welding r HVAC r Plumbing r General Maintenance

r Other ETSU r Contractor/Supervisor - If checked enter Company Name, otherwise enter ETSU Supervisor

TELL US ABOUT THE WORK ITSELF

Date work to be performed: Start time:

Date work will be finished: Time work will finish:

Building:

Room, area, or equipment:

Describe the work to be performed:

VERIFY ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

r Hot work equipment will be inspected and determined to be in good repair prior to the start of work.

r This work cannot reasonably be done in a shop or other area designated for this purpose and equipped to minimize hazards.

r No sprinklers will be taken out of service while this work is being done.

r The potential for smoke, heat, airborne dust, etc. to trigger a fire alarm has been evaluated and appropriate measures will be taken to prevent false alarms (including local horns, strobes and the automatic Public Safety Office notification). Advance arrangements may be necessary for Electricians to deactivate and restore systems or components. Ensure that systems are restored as soon as possible after the completion of work so that fire watches can be minimized.

r Surrounding floors will be swept clean and, if combustible, wet down.

HOT WORK PERMIT FORM Page 2 of 2

r There are no combustible fibers, dusts, vapors, gases or liquids in the area. There are no tanks or equipment that previously contained flammable liquids in this area. Containers have been purged and the absence of explosive gases or vapors verified with a combustible gas detection instrument prior to the work. If there is a possibility of a leak developing in nearby piping, equipment, or tanks containing flammable liquids or gases, the area’s air will be continuously monitored for explosive conditions. Call the ETSU Physical Plant at 439-7900 if assistance is needed to test the area.

r All combustibles will be relocated 35 feet from the operation and the remainder protected with metal guards or flame-proofed curtains or covers (not ordinary tarpaulins).

r Fire alarms will not be taken out of service or a suitable fire watch will be arranged. When possible, the Physical Plant will be notified in advance if it is necessary to disable the alarm system for an entire building.

r Ample portable fire extinguishers and trained personnel to use them will be available at the job site. At a minimum, a 5 lb. ABC rated extinguisher must be present in addition to the normal compliment of building extinguishers.

r All floor and wall openings, including cracks, within 35 feet of the operations will be tightly covered.

r The need for a fire watch during work, work breaks, and for 30 minutes after completion has been evaluated and an appropriate number of responsible personnel will be assigned to this duty.

r There will be no harmful radiation generated by this work, or fire resistant screens will be positioned to protect bystanders.

r Workers will not be exposed to toxic fumes and the work will not create an indoor air quality issue or else adequate ventilation will be provided to prevent these problems.

r Prior to starting work, workers will determine the location of the nearest: alarm pull station, building fire extinguisher and telephone (accessible) and verify a clear escape route from the work area.

r The person performing the hot work will verify the conditions specified in this permit prior to starting work each day that the permit is in effect. In addition they will document that verification or re-verification for each day after the start date by adding their initials, with the date, to the permit kept at the work site (directly below the signature line).

NOTE: This permit expires after the designated "finish time" and shall not exceed 48 hours. If the hot work is to continue, another permit must be issued. If submitting by fax, please fill out, print, and fax to Physical Plant at (423) 439-7670 and Health and Safety at (423) 439-6030 or submit a completed form in person at the Physical Plant.

A copy of this completed form must be conspicuously posted in the area of the hot work.

Return this form to the Physical Plant’s Health and Safety Specialist after work is completed