Hot Work and Torch Safety
29 CFR 1926.352 · 29 CFR 1926.354 · This talk in Spanish
Why it matters
Torch-down roofing, brazing, and cutting all leave something behind you cannot see: heat soaked into the deck, smoldering insulation, a spark in the wall cavity. Most hot-work fires start after the torch is off. The fire watch is not a formality; it is the job.
Hazards
- ⚠ Fires starting in hidden spaces: wall cavities, insulation, under membranes
- ⚠ Combustibles within the spark and slag radius
- ⚠ Cylinders stored or moved wrong: valves unprotected, oxygen next to fuel gas
- ⚠ Fires discovered after the crew has packed up and left
- ⚠ Torching over coatings that release toxic fumes when heated
Controls and safe practices
- ✓ Clear or protect combustibles around the work; our rule is at least 35 feet, the radius industry practice takes from NFPA 51B (1926.352 requires fire hazards moved or protected, without a fixed radius). Cover what cannot move with fire blankets.
- ✓ Charged extinguisher within reach at the work point, not in the truck.
- ✓ Post a fire watch during work and after the last flame; our adopted NFPA 51B practice is at least 30 minutes (1926.352(e) requires the watch continue for a sufficient period to ensure no possibility of fire).
- ✓ Check hidden sides: the other side of the wall or deck you are heating.
- ✓ Store cylinders upright, capped, and secured. Oxygen separated from fuel gas by at least 20 feet, or by a noncombustible barrier at least 5 feet high with a fire-resistance rating of at least one-half hour (1926.350(a)(10)).
- ✓ Test hoses and fittings for leaks before lighting. Light with a striker, never a lighter.
Crew discussion questions
- Where is today’s hot work happening and what is on the other side of that surface?
- Who is the fire watch and do they know the 30-minute rule?
- Where are the extinguishers at the work point?
- How are the cylinders being stored and moved today?
Applicable OSHA standards
29 CFR 1926.352, 29 CFR 1926.354
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