How long should you fire watch after hot work?

Author: Prof. Dannie Orn  |  Last update: Friday, February 20, 2026

According to 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(B), a fire watch must be maintained for at least a half hour after completion of welding or cutting operations to detect and extinguish possible smoldering fires. However, this is the minimum time frame, and many employers maintain a fire watch for one hour.

How long does OSHA require a fire watch?

Fire watches must continue monitoring the hot work area for at least 30 minutes after completion of the hot work to ensure nothing ignites. This includes all areas that required additional fire watch personnel (e.g., blind compartments and different levels within a space).

What is the 35 foot rule for hot work?

Any floor cracks or openings and wall or ceiling openings within 35 feet of the hot work need to be covered with flameproof shields or protected by a fire watch. Warning signs, barriers, and welding screens are required.

What is the OSHA policy for hot work?

The employer shall instruct all employees involved in hot work operations as to potential fire hazards and the use of firefighting equipment. Drums and containers which contain or have contained flammable or combustible liquids shall be kept closed. Empty containers shall be removed from the hot work area.

What is the NFPA standard for fire watch?

NFPA 101-3.3. 91 Fire Watch.

The assignment of a person or persons to an area for the express purpose of notifying the fire department, the building occupants, or both of an emergency; preventing a fire from occurring; extinguishing small fires; or protecting the public from fire or life safety dangers.

Fire Watch Training for Hot Work Operations Preview

What are the rules for a fire watch?

According to the NFPA, for fire alarm systems, a fire watch is required if the system is impaired for more than four hours in a 24-hour period. For water-based fire protection systems, fire watches are required for impairments lasting 10 hours or more in a 24-hour period.

What is the NFPA 72 standard?

The NFPA 72 "covers the application, installation, location, performance, inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm systems, supervising station alarm systems, public emergency alarm reporting systems, fire warning equipment and emergency communications systems (ECS), and their components." Federal, state, and ...

How long does Firewatch have to stay?

According to 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(B), a fire watch must be maintained for at least a half hour after completion of welding or cutting operations to detect and extinguish possible smoldering fires. However, this is the minimum time frame, and many employers maintain a fire watch for one hour.

What is the NFPA code for hot work?

NFPA 51B provides guidelines for conducting hot work safely, including measures to prevent the ignition of combustible materials, and proper qualifications for personnel performing hot work, fire watch and appropriate use of fire-resistant materials and equipment, along with training and qualifications for personnel ...

What are the hot work safety instructions?

Wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as face shield, leather welder's vest, and gauntlet gloves. Use cotton or denim clothing. Make sure there is sufficient general ventilation. Where welding fumes and gases can accumulate, use local exhaust ventilation to remove the contaminants.

What temperature is legally too hot to work?

Heat Standards in Specific States

The following states have standards for heat exposure: California. California's Heat Illness Prevention Standard requires employers to provide training, water, shade, and planning. A temperature of 80°F triggers the requirements. See CalOSHA's website.

What are the duties of a hot work fire watch?

Fire Watch Duties, Definition, Responsibilities

The fire watch is authorized to stop any unsafe operation or activity. A fire watch is required whenever protective measures are necessary for the following conditions: Combustible materials are closer than 35ft to the point of operation and unprotected.

Does OSHA require welders to be certified?

According to Table S-4 of 29 CFR 1910.332, welders are among those employees who are required to be trained because they face a risk of electrical shock that is not reduced to a safe level.

How long after hotwork is completed does the fire watch need to stay in place?

Fire Watch Personnel: The person(s) who maintains awareness for the presence of fire or hazardous conditions within the hot work area before, during, and for at least 30 minutes after the hot work is completed. Depending on the project, Fire Watch Personnel may be a University employee or a contractor's employee.

What is the OSHA 30 day rule?

You must only report a fatality to OSHA if the fatality occurs within thirty (30) days of the work-related incident. For an in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye, you must only report the event to OSHA if it occurs within twenty-four (24) hours of the work-related incident.

What triggers a fire watch?

2 of the NFPA 25 mandates the provision of a fire watch whenever an automatic fire sprinkler system malfunctions for 10 hours in a 24-hour period. A fire watch requires staffing above normal operating levels. The watch must be conducted by personnel trained in fire prevention and fire department notification measures.

What are the OSHA guidelines for hot work?

No welding, cutting, or other hot work shall be performed on used drums, barrels, tanks or other containers until they have been cleaned so thoroughly as to make absolutely certain that there are no flammable materials present or any substances such as greases, tars, acids, or other materials which when subjected to ...

Does OSHA require a fire watch?

Fire watch personnel are mandated by OSHA. They literally watch for fire in areas of hot work. When is a fire watch required? These areas of hot work include those where workers weld and cut with torches.

Is cutting rebar considered hot work?

Hot work is defined as any activity that involves open flames or produces heat and/or sparks capable of initiating fires or explosions. Examples of hot work include: welding, cutting, grinding, drilling, soldering, brazing, torch-applied roofing, etc.

What is the fire watch rule?

According to the NFPA code, a fire watch is required if any of the following are true: One of your core fire detection systems is offline for more than 4 hours in any 24-hour period. Your fire sprinklers (or other water-based protection system) is offline for more than 10 hours in any 24-hour period.

What is the min req for Firewatch?

Processor: Intel Core i3 2.00 GHz or AMD equivalent. Memory: 6 GB RAM. Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 450 or higher with 1GB Memory. Storage: 4 GB available space.

When should you attempt to extinguish a fire that resulted from hot work?

Must be trained in the use of fire extinguishing equipment. for fires in all exposed areas, sound the alarm if necessary, and try to extinguish them only when obviously within the capability of the equipment available.

What is the NFPA 70 rule?

Rather than safety or maintenance practices, NFPA 70 revolves around installing and maintaining electrical equipment. Its intent is to provide practical safeguarding practices that can protect both people and property from electrical hazards that can arise when users install electrical components.

What is the point 7 rule for NFPA 72?

NFPA 72 requires that all points on the ceiling have a detector within a distance of 0.7 times the listed spacing of the detector.

What is the NFPA code 82?

Section 82 of the NFPA Codes & Standards establishes the “Standard on Incinerators and Waste and Linen Handling Systems and Equipment.”

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