Fire Prevention and Hot Work

Hot work permits, the 35-foot rule for combustibles, fire watch duties, extinguisher readiness, and safe handling of fuel and gas cylinders.

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Fire & electrical · 29 CFR 1926.352

Welding, cutting, and grinding throw sparks and hot slag that can travel 35 feet, land in something soft, and smolder for hours before anyone smells smoke. Add fuel storage, propane, sawdust, and packaging to a job site and you have everything a fire needs. Many hot work fires start after the torch is off and the crew has moved on, which is why the fire watch matters as much as the welder.

Key hazards

• Sparks and slag landing on combustibles or dropping through wall and floor openings
• Hot work near flammable liquids, fueling areas, or gas cylinders
• Smoldering fires that flare up after the crew leaves the area
• No extinguisher within reach, or one that is empty, damaged, or the wrong type
• Gas cylinders stored unsecured, uncapped, or with fuel gas and oxygen together
• Blocked exits and no shared plan for getting out

Safe practices

• Get the hot work permit where the site requires one, and walk the area before you strike an arc or light a torch.
• Move combustibles at least 35 feet from hot work. If they cannot move, cover them with fire resistant blankets and shield openings where sparks could drop.
• Post a fire watch during hot work and keep the watch in place at least 30 minutes after the last spark.
• Keep a charged, inspected extinguisher within reach of the hot work, and know how to use it. Pull, aim, squeeze, sweep.
• Store flammable liquids in approved containers and cabinets away from ignition sources, and refuel equipment only when it is off and cool.
• Keep gas cylinders upright, secured, and capped when not in use, and store oxygen away from fuel gas cylinders, separated by distance or a rated barrier.
• Check hoses, gauges, and torch fittings for leaks before use, and never use oil or grease on oxygen fittings.
• No smoking around fueling, flammable storage, or cylinders.
• Keep exits, aisles, and extinguisher locations clear, and know your two nearest ways out.

Discussion questions

• Where is hot work happening this week, and what combustibles are within 35 feet of it right now?
• Who is assigned as fire watch, and do they know they stay after the work stops?
• Where are the nearest extinguishers to your work area, and when were they last checked?

If something goes wrong

• If a fire starts and is bigger than what one extinguisher can knock down in seconds, get out, alert everyone nearby, and call 911. Property is replaceable.
• Fight a small fire only with your exit at your back and the right extinguisher in hand.
• Report every fire and every scorch mark, even ones you put out easily, so hot work controls get fixed before the next one grows.

Keep the record without the paper

Download the signed attendance sheet, then keep follow-up notes and photos in YakBuildHQ's timestamped project record — start free.