This document outlines responsibilities for hot work duties and fire watches. It discusses supervisor responsibilities which include ensuring training and safe work areas. It also outlines hot work operator responsibilities like having permits and stopping work if unsafe. Fire watches must monitor for fires and be trained. The fire watch responsibilities include watching for fires for 30-60 minutes after work. It emphasizes that anyone can stop work if unsafe conditions arise.

1. HOT WORK DUTIES & FIRE
WATCH
M O D U L E 2 : T O D E M O N S T R AT E I N D I V I D U A L H O T W O R K
R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S A N D I M P O R TA N C E O F F I R E WAT C H

2. HOT WORK DUTIES

3. SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Attend supervisor training offered by
Safety Training Department.
Ensure all employees who perform Hot
Work are trained on the Hot Work
Program and it’s requirements.
Safe handling and use of equipment, as
well as determining any combustible or
hazardous areas that are present in the
work area.

4. SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Protect combustibles from ignition by having the
work moved to a location free from
combustibles, moving combustibles to a safe
distance, or properly shielding against ignition.
See that Hot Work is not scheduled to be performed
during operations that might expose combustibles to
ignition.

5. SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Obtain a Hot Work permit and
determine that the Hot Work
operator secures his approval
that conditions are safe before
performing any Hot Work.
Ensure that fire protection and
extinguishing equipment are
properly located at the site and
employees are trained in its use.
Make a fire watch available if
needed.

6. SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Enforce Hot Work Program standards by ensuring all
employees under their direction comply with all
facets of the Hot Work Program.
Provide a copy of the Hot Work Program to
employees upon their request.
Be responsible for transferring Hot Work information
between shift changes.
Retain Hot Work permits for 1 year.

7. HOT WORK OPERATORS RESPONSIBILITIES
• Completely adhere to the requirements of
this program and attend required training.
• Understand the emergency procedures in
the event of a fire and shall have an
awareness of the inherent risks involved.
• Plan for the worst
• Know how to use a fire extinguisher
• Know how to notify occupants of a fire
• Know the safest route for evacuation
• Prepare the work area per the policy/permit.

8. HOT WORK OPERATORS RESPONSIBILITIES
Have the supervisor's approval before starting the Hot
Work operations.
Stopping Hot Work operations and notifying
management or the area supervisor if an unsafe
condition occurs.
Fill out the permit correctly.
Send complete Hot Work permits to Safety Training
Manager.

9. ALL EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES
Any employee that observes changing unsafe
condition associated with Hot Work
activities must use individual initiative to
report the unsafe condition(s).
 Each employee has the right to halt Hot
Work operations when new conditions
develop that could pose a hazard to
employees.
 An example of changing conditions might be
the introduction of a flammable substance into
the Hot Work area.

10. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
• The project manager is responsible for ensuring compliance
with the contractor safety program. This would include
ensuring that all forms are turned in and, if
necessary, signed, and that proper training is completed.
• The supervising plant engineer is responsible for ensuring
that the contractor is adhering to the requirements of the
plant and corporate programs.

11. SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES
• Supervisors, contractors, the fire watch, and the Hot Work
operators shall recognize their mutual responsibility for safety
in Hot Work operations.

12. FIRE WATCH

13. FIRE WATCH
A Fire Watch is needed when there is a chance that fire might
develop from combustible materials. A fire watch is needed if
combustible materials are located:
1) Closer than 35’ from the Hot Work.
2) More than 35’ away from the Hot Work but might be easily
ignited by sparks.
3) Walls or floor openings within 35’ expose combustible
materials in adjacent areas including concealed areas spaces in
walls and floors.
4) Adjacent to the opposite side of partitions, walls, ceilings, or
roofs.

14. FIRE WATCH RESPONSIBILITIES
Be aware of the inherent hazards of the
work site and of the Hot Work.
Ensure that safe conditions are
maintained.
Have the authority to stop the Hot
Work if unsafe conditions develop.
Final signature on Hot Work permit.

15. FIRE WATCH RESPONSIBILITIES
Have fire extinguishing equipment, as well as attending
required training.
Sound and being familiar with alarm procedures in the
facilities in the case of an uncontrolled fire.
Watch for fires in all exposed areas, during Hot Work
operations and for at least 30-60 min. after
completion, and trying to extinguish them only when
they are within the scope of their training and
equipment.

16. FIRE WATCH
 The Fire Watch (personnel) monitors
the Hot Work area for changing
conditions and watches for fires, and
extinguishes them if possible.
 Must be trained annually on the Hot
Work program.
 Have no other responsibilities other
than fire watching.
 Note: When changing conditions are
observed by anyone– whether the fire
watch, Hot Work operator, supervisor, or
any other employee– that person should
immediately halt the Hot Work on his or
her own initiative!!

17. FIRE WATCH
 As mentioned earlier, a fire watch must be maintained for 30
min. after completion of Hot Work however depending on
conditions the watch can be held up to 3 hours.
 More than one fire watch is required when combustible
material that could be ignited by Hot Work cannot be directly
observed by only one fire watch.

18. OSHA STANDARDS
Click here to see what OSHA requires for organizations that
utilize fire watch.

19. IMPORTANT
• This is the end of the slideshow.
• Please do the following:
1. Click the back button on your browser to return to the Module.
2. Complete the test for this module.