You must ensure that you have in place public liability insurance that
- provides an indemnity for liability arising out of the Hot Work to be carried out; and
- contains a limit of indemnity at a level appropriate to the Hot Work to be carried out, which limit shall be not less than £5,000,000 in any event.
and you must agree to the following,
(a) a formal fire risk assessment must be undertaken by a designated competent person to identify any fire risk(s), assess if the Hot Work can be completed using alternative safer methods and identify any action(s) to ensure a safe method of Hot Work if such is to be adopted.
(b) equipment must be in good condition.
(c) all flammable liquids and movable combustible materials must be removed from the area in which the Hot Work is to be carried out.
(d) any pipes, equipment or tanks containing flammable liquids must be purged and tests completed to confirm no flammable liquid, vapour, combustible deposits or residues remain present.
(e) Hot Work must not be undertaken on or near equipment or tanks containing combustible materials.
(f) Hot Work must not be undertaken in any atmosphere containing flammable vapours or combustible dusts. Where there is a possibility of such atmosphere existing air samples must be taken, and work only commenced when the atmosphere has been confirmed to be non-hazardous or otherwise purged. If there is a risk that the hazardous atmosphere may recur, the Hot Work must not commence until further precautions are implemented and additional testing completed which confirms that there is no prospect such atmosphere will recur.
(g) where possible all immoveable combustible materials (including without limitation flooring, partitions and ceilings) within ten (10) metres of the area in which the Hot Work is to be carried out must be fully covered with overlapping protective non-combustible sheets or screens.
(h) all holes and openings in walls, floors, partitions and ceilings through which sparks could pass must be fully covered with overlapping non-combustible sheets or screens.
(i) no Hot Work may be carried out on combustible construction materials or combustible frames.
(j) without prejudice to the generality of (k) above, no Hot Work may be carried out on composite insulation panels unless it first be established by a designated competent person that the insulating or other materials behind or forming the core of the insulation panels are non-combustible.
(k) where Hot Work is to be carried out on one side of a wall, partition or ceiling, all combustible materials on the other side of such wall, partition or ceiling at any risk of ignition must be removed (where moveable) or fully covered with overlapping protective non-combustible sheets or screens (where immoveable).
(l) where Hot Work is to be carried out and there is a risk of sparks escaping to floors above or below, all combustible materials on the floors above or below, at any risk of ignition must be removed (where moveable) or fully covered with overlapping protective non-combustible sheets or screens (where immoveable).
(2) During the process of Hot Work being carried out,
(a) gas cylinders not required for immediate use must be secured and kept at least fifteen (15) metres from where the application of heat is taking place.
(b) a minimum of two (2) fire extinguishers with a minimum rating of 13A must be provided in the area in which work involving the application of any heat is undertaken for the duration of the Hot Work process and all subsequent fire watch periods as identified below. If the Hot Work involves arc welding, then two (2) additional CO² extinguishers, of minimum size 2kg each, must be so provided.
(c) the lighting and use of all Hot Work equipment must be done in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and when such equipment is still hot it must not be left unattended.
(d) all Hot Work equipment involving the application of heat must be extinguished or switched off when it is not being used.
(e) a minimum of one designated competent person, other than the person using Hot Work equipment, must be appointed to act as a specified fire-watch throughout the entire duration of the hot works, including any breaks, to look out for any outbreak of fire. Such person must be trained in the use of, and have immediate access to, the fire extinguisher equipment described in (2) (b) above.
(3) Fire-Watch Periods upon Completion
Upon completion of each instance of the Hot Work and for a period of not less than one (1) hour thereafter a continuous examination for any signs of smouldering or combustion must be made within, beside, above and below the area in which the Hot Work has been undertaken. Such examination must include any area(s) on the other side of any wall, partition or ceiling within ten (10) metres of the area in which the Hot Work has been carried out.
