Appendix 6B- PROCEDURES FOR HOT WORK ON UNIVERSITY PREMISES

1. OBJECTIVE

Fire can be a major threat to the University. Particular care must be taken to prevent fire from starting, and to ensure that a fire, should it occur, can be quickly spotted, controlled and extinguished.

Hot work provides an ignition source and therefore is a potential cause of fire. This set of procedures specifies safe procedures for welding, cutting, burning and other similar hot processes carried out on the University premises and are intended to protect personnel and property from possible fire and explosion hazards arising from such work.

2. SCOPE

This set of procedures applies to all hot work operations carried out on the premises of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology by the University employees as well as outside contractors.

3. DEFINITION

Hot Work shall refer to electric arc, gas welding and cutting, lighting of fires or any other activities which could result in the deliberate introduction of an ignition source into the work area.

4. CONTROL OF HOT WORK

4.1 Whenever practicable, all hot work should be carried out in a workshop designated for that purpose.
4.2 Hot work must NOT be permitted in or near rooms containing flammable vapours, liquids, dusts, or on or inside of closed tanks/other containers which have held such materials.
4.3 When hot work is to be carried out at locations other than in designated workshops or areas, the Hot Work Permit Procedures must be followed. The Hot Work Permit Procedures are stipulated in 4.4 below.
4.4 Hot Work Permit Procedures 
a. Before any hot work commences, the supervisor responsible for the work should request a Hot Work Permit at HSEO at least one day before the commencement of the hot work. After the Permit has been signed by HSEO, it has to be taken to the Security Control Centre (SCC) for signatory by the Duty Security Controller (DSC).
b. The original Permit should be handed to the person carrying out the hot work who shall ensure that the safety precautions stipulated on the Permit are observed. The Permit must be posted at a conspicuous location at the work site.
c. The SCC should maintain a Register of all Permits issued.
d. Representatives from HSEO should perform periodic inspections of the area to assure that all the safety precautions are met.
e. Patrolling security personnel should pay special attention to areas where hot works are being carried out.
f. Representatives from the department responsible for the hot work should also perform periodic inspections of the hot work area to ensure that the appropriate safety precautions are being complied with.
g. The work should be stopped immediately if the working condition is considered hazardous until the situation has been improved to the satisfaction of HSEO.
h. If the hot work cannot be completed in one day, at the completion of a day’s work, the supervisor or the person in charge of the hot work shall notify the SCC so that appropriate follow-up inspection can be arranged.
i. At the completion of the work or upon expiry of the Permit, the original Permit should be returned to the HSEO. SCC should also be informed of the completion.
j. The Permit should be signed off by HSEO upon satisfactory completion of the conditions therein.
k. A Hot Work Permit should only be valid for the period specified on the Permit and under no circumstances shall it exceed one week. A new Permit should be required for future resumption of the hot work.
4.5 Safety Precautions 

The following precautions must be observed for hot work operations: 

a. Appropriate fire extinguishers should be available near the hot work area. The person carrying out the hot work or somebody standing-by should be familiar with the use of the extinguishers.
b. The work area should be adequately ventilated to prevent the accumulation of toxic or flammable vapours.
c. All flammable or highly combustible materials should be removed at least 10 metres away from the point of hot work. Any combustible materials which cannot be moved should be protected by non-combustible screens (e.g. metal or glass fibre). Combustible materials which could be ignited by conduction should be removed from the far side of metal walls, partitions or work pieces.
d. The hot work area should be cleared of rubbish. Combustible flooring should be protected with fire resistant sheets to retain sparks, slag, and pieces of hot metal.
e. Openings or cracks on floor or walls where welding sparks or slag may fall through should be covered with non-combustible materials.
f. Proper equipment should be employed for hot work operations. Gas cylinders should be properly secured in the upright position and fitted with anti-flashback devices.
g. The person responsible for the hot work should carry out a fire watch for at least 30 minutes at the completion of each day’s work to make sure that smouldering fires have not been started.
h. When hot work is carried out in areas with automatic fire protection systems (e.g. Computer Room), the automatic discharge control should be rendered inoperative and the system be set to Manual Control. The automatic control should be restored after completion of the work or when the area is vacated (e.g. during lunch breaks or at the end of a working day). The appropriate Fire Orders of the area must also be observed.