NFPA Journal - Winter 2021 - 66

Hot work hazard awareness and use of best practices
have become critical elements of building construction
and alteration activities. GETTY IMAGES
HOT WORK CONNECTION
How the marine safety guidelines devised by NFPA a century ago
provided a foundation for modern hot work guidance
HOT WORK SAFETY LESSONS and practices that began 100 years
ago as part of the precursor to NFPA 306, Standard for the Control
of Gas Hazards on Vessels, still endure today-and so do the hazards
those practices were intended to minimize.
Improper welding, for example, was blamed for the fire that
resulted in the catastrophic explosion in Beirut in 2020, when hundreds
of tons of stored ammonium nitrate ignited in a waterfront
warehouse; the resulting blast killed more than 200 people, injured
more than 6,000, left more than 300,000 homeless, and caused an
estimated $15 billion in property damage. The US Chemical Safety
Board has identified hot work as a " critical driver " for safety in the
wake of numerous hot work incidents in the chemical and petrochemical
sector. Around the world, hot work is frequently blamed
for fires that destroy buildings under construction, resulting in
billions of dollars in losses annually. The City of Boston enacted a
mandatory hot work safety training program for all contractors and
subcontractors on building construction projects where hot work
is performed following a tragic fire in 2014 that claimed the lives of
two Boston firefighters.
That's why it is essential that stakeholders around the globe
engage in a dialogue on hot work safety to promote changing
behaviors, an effort that NFPA has undertaken for a century,
starting with the guidance that would become NFPA 306. The
early marine-oriented requirements of NFPA 306 focused on
flammable substances that were usually liquids, either cargo or
fuel, but liquids aren't the only hazards to consider in nonmaritime
applications. NFPA 51B, Standard for Fire Prevention During
Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work, lays out a clear process for
establishing a safe hot work activity using a decision tree based
on separating the fuel from the ignition source, such as a saw
or welding torch. NFPA 51B begins by promoting the use of nonhot
work methods, often referred to as cold work. The next level
option is to perform hot work only in designated areas that can be
made safe by having no flammable or combustible construction
or materials present, such as a machine shop or welding booth.
66 | NFPA JOURNAL * WINTER 2021
The next two options involve either separation of the combustibles
by distance or shielding them with fire-retardant blankets or
pads. That decision tree, when applied consistently by a trained
team and documented on a permit, creates an effective tool for
hot work hazard management.
Hot work hazard awareness and use of best practices have
become critical elements of building construction and alteration
activities. Similar to the relationship between NFPA 306 and
the marine chemist, NFPA 241, Standard for Safeguarding Construction,
Alteration, and Demolition Operations, establishes a
fire prevention program manager (FPPM) as a trained individual
responsible for applicable codes and standards, fire protection
systems, and fire inspection procedures, and who has authority to
enforce this and other applicable standards. When hot work activities
are performed, the FPPM supervises the hot work permit system.
NFPA has also developed in-person and online training to help
stakeholders improve hot work safety. NFPA's Hot Work Safety
Certificate Program was created to help construction industry
professionals develop an awareness and understanding of the
hot-work-related dangers on the work site, as well as safety procedures
designed to mitigate those hazards. As a result of the
deadly 2014 fire, the City of Boston enacted a requirement that all
persons engaged in hot work operations on the work site hold a
Hot Work Safety Certificate. The certificate has been mandatory
in the state of Massachusetts since 2018.
NFPA also developed an online training program to accompany
NFPA 241. The specialized course teaches participants how to
locate, interpret, and accurately identify and utilize criteria in the
2019 edition of NFPA 241. Coursework covers everything from
the importance of the standard in preventing or minimizing fire
damage to structures to fire safety programs and safeguarding
construction equipment, storage, roofing, demolition, underground
operations, and hazards such as utilities and hot work.
For more information on the hot work and NFPA 241 training programs,
visit catalog.nfpa.org. -G.C.
http://catalog.nfpa.org
NFPA Journal - Winter 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - Winter 2021
