Hot Works Safety Toolbox Talk
Welding, cutting, grinding and torch work throw sparks and heat much further than you expect. Fires from hot work can smoulder unseen for an hour before bursting into flames, long after the job is finished. A permit and a fire watch stop that from happening.
Takes about 5 minutes.
Key points to read out
- Get a hot works permit before starting if the site requires one, and follow every condition on it.
- Clear combustibles from around the work, usually at least 10 m, or cover them with fire blankets. Follow the distance on the hot works permit.
- Check the other side of walls, floors and ceilings. Sparks and heat travel through gaps and conduct through metal.
- Have the right fire extinguisher at the work spot, and know how to use it.
- Keep a fire watch during the job and for at least 60 minutes after, then check again before you leave site. Follow the permit if it says longer.
- Keep gas cylinders upright, chained and away from heat. Fit flashback arrestors on oxy and fuel gas sets.
- Never do hot work on drums, tanks or pipes that have held flammables until they have been cleaned and made safe.
- Use screens to protect other people from sparks and welding flash.
- Wear the right gear: welding helmet or face shield, flame resistant clothing, leather gloves.
Questions to ask the crew
- What hot work are we doing today, and do we have a permit?
- What is on the other side of the wall we are cutting?
- Who is the fire watch, and for how long?
- Where is the nearest extinguisher?
Sign-in sheet
Print this page or download the sign-in sheet. Or run it in the app and the crew signs on the phone.
| Name | Company | Signature |
|---|---|---|
Get it signed
Run this talk in the app. The crew signs on your phone and you get a dated attendance record as a PDF.