Project name - New Manufacturing factory for NETZSCH Technologies.

Location - Verna IDC, I-16 Phase IV Goa

Hot Work Procedures

Many aspects of maintenance and engineering work involve Welding, Burning,
Cut:ting, Grinding and working with Bitumen boilers etc. When these activities are
carried out in direct contact or in close proximity to flammable or combustible
substances there is the risk of explosion, fire and the production of toxic substances,
with the potential consequences of serious injury, ill-health and or damage to property
and the environment. It is therefore necessary to have a control procedure to reduce
the risks associated with Hot Work to an acceptable level.
1. Introduction
Hot Work comprises work activities that involve the application or generation of heat
during their execution. Such activities include cutting, welding, brazing, soldering and
the use of blow-lamps.
Hot Work, in the main, is associated with the application of heat either directly to, or
adjacent to plant, tanks, vessels, pipes etc, that contain or have contained any
explosive, flammable or toxic substance. However, for completeness, due to the fire
risks intrinsic to any Hot Work Activity, and the risk of personal injuries due to hot
debris, toxic fumes etc., Hot Work is as defined in the above paragraph.
2. I•Iazards
The hazards arising from Hot Work comprise:
(i) The ignition of flammable vapour within a confined space can produce pressures
well above the safe working pressure of most types of tank used for liquid storage. Even
tanks designed to be pressure vessels are not normally designed to withstand shock
pressures generated by an internal explosion. An explosion
within a tank is therefore liable to cause violent failure of the vessel. Parts of the tank
may be propelled as missiles, and a flame front, hot gases and burning liquid may be
expelled.
(ii) The risk to the building or surroundings as a result of work activities that generate
sparks and heat, such as Grinding, Burning and Welding etc., in areas containing
combustible and flammable materials.
(iii) Risk of eye injury including ultra-violet damage (i.e. “arc-eye”), burns and heat
exhaustion.
(iv) Asphyxiation by gases and vapours and/or asphyxiation or poisoning by toxic
fumes.
3. Risk Assessment for Hot Work
All Departments that carry out Hot Work must ensure that these activities have been
adequately covered by their risk assessments. These should be carried out by a suitably
competent person(s). An Authorised Person is someone who has sufficient technical
knowled9e, training and practical experience of the Hot Work Processes and their
associated hazards to undertake a Hot Work Risk Assessment.

Hot Work should onIy be undertaken if alternatives have been discounted, i.e.
mechanical fixing, sawing, adhesives etc.
If the Hot Work involves or produces substances hazardous to health, e.g. cleaning solvents,
acids, welding fumes etc. then the work must include any additional control measures as
necessary under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations.
4. Safety Procedures for Hot Work
To control the risks associated with Hot Work operations, activities must be carried out in
accordance with either a Standard Operating Procedure or a Permit to Work, depending
upon the circumstances.

All Hot Work must be performed by competent and authorised persons who have received:
• Awareness training of the hazards and precautions associated with Hot Work.
• Instruction in the Standard Operating Procedures and application of the Permit-to- Work
procedure.

A Competent Person is one that is trained and experienced in the actual Hot Work
activity and has duties as specified.
All the control and preventative measures stipulated in the standard operating procedure or
permit to work must be rigorously followed by the Competent Person and the other members of
the team (where appropriate).
The work area should be made as safe as possible before the work starts, and all the
prescribed preventative precautions must be taken whilst the work is in progress.

On completion of the hot work, the area must be made safe and properly cleared up. The person
in char9e of the work/team must decide whether to re-visit the work area, after a suitable period of
time (usually one hour), to ensure that there are no signs of possible causes of fires. This should
be stipulated as part of the procedure or permit if appropriate.
4.1. Routine operations in designated areas - Standard Operating
Procedure
Lower risk, routine Hot Work operations should be carried out in accordance with a Standard
Operating Procedure that has been derived from a risk assessment that covers these predictable
activities. A lower risk operation is one that does not involve:
• Stability hazards associated with the structure,
• Hazardous residues that may be present within or on the item being subjected to heat,
• Work in locations that contain, or are in the vicinity of, hiphly flammable or hiphly
combustible materials,
• Work in conflned spaces.

The types of activities that would fall within this category include:
• Operations in designated facilities i.e. welding bays
• Operations in general workshop areas that are designated for routine operations,
• Operations that are carried out in areas that will not be affected by the hot work.
4.2. Non-routine operations - Use of Permit to Work
Operations that are of a non-routine nature must be assessed by the Authorised Person to
identify whether it may give rise to significant risks to those engaged in the work or to the
building or to others that may be in the vicinity. Where this is the case then this must be
carried out in accordance with a Perm it-to-Work.
A Permit-to-Work involves a methodical assessment of the task to identify and specify the
precautions to be taken. Examples of situations for which a Permit-to Work should be issued
are as follows:
• Work on vessels, including tanks and pipes, that have contained flammable
materials or are lined or coated with flammable or combustible materials,
• Work on vessels that may release harmful gases fumes or vapours,
• Work in areas that contain flammable or combustible materials that cannot be protected by
following the Safe Operating Procedure alone,
• Work in locations that could expose other users of the area to hazards, e.
9. work above building entrances or on
circulation routes (unless this is a regular activity for which a Standard Operating Procedure is
available).

If the work is to be carried out in a confined space then a Confined Space Permit
should be completed.
The Permit-to-Work should be issued by an Authorised Person responsible for carrying out the
risk assessment of the job. He/she is responsible for specifying the necessary precautions, e.g.
isolations, site preparations, emergency procedures. The precautions should be discussed with
the senior person carrying out the hot work (Competent Person) to ensure that the nature of these
and the hazards is clearly understood. It is the joint responsibility of the Authorised Person
issuing the Permit and the Competent Person receiving it to fully understand the contents,
limitations and scope of the Permit
and its full implications, prior to Commencement of work.

The Permit-to-Work should be validated for a maximum of one day only. If additional time beyond
the expiry of the Permit is required then this should be formally extended on the Permit by the
person who issued it, or in their absence another appropriate
authorised person after reviewing the criteria under which it was issued.
 Operational Checklist for those involved in Hot Work
Typical Precautions for Safe Hot-Working

1. Care to be ta ken when using and storing materials used for ignition purposes,
i. e. matches, lighters.
2. Hot-work equipment is in good repair and adequately secured. Gas welding and
cutting equipment carries a “Hot Work Checklist”
3. All combustible material of a portable nature shall be removed from the site of
operations and floors swept clean of combustible materials. Flammable substances such
as paints and adhesives must be removed from the Hot Work area.
4. All combustible material remaining in the vicinity shall be either a) thoroughly
drenched with water or b) cover with damp sand or c) covered with non combustible sheets
— whichever is suitdble.
5. Combustible floors, walls, ceilings protected by wetting down and covering with
damp sand or covered or screened by sheets of non-combustible material — whichever is
suitabfe.
6. Where work is above floor level, non-combustible curtains or sheets
suspended beneath the work to collect sparks.
7. All gaps in walls and floors through which sparks could pass covered with
sheets of non-combustible materials.
8. Means for fire extinguishing must be in close proximity to the “Hot Work” operation. If a
fire point is not in the immediate vicinity, then portable fire extinguishing equipment musL be
available at the site of operations.
9. Ensure that the correct Personal Protective Equipment is worn in relation to
the task being carried out.

NOTE If considered necessary by the Authorised Person, a fire watcher shall be placed in
charge whilst the “hot-work” operations are in progress and shall patrol in or about any
structure of building close to the “hot-work” operations, where the risk of fire may arise. The
Authorised Person must inspect the site of the “hot-work” operation at least once per day on
the dates the permit is valid.

HOT WORK PERb4IT5 ALONE DO NOT COVER WORK CARRIED OUT IN CONFINED
SPACES

Hot Work Checklist—to be secured to cylinder trolleys

 • Condition of pipes/fittings checked?
• Enclosed fabrications (e.g. tanks, pipes) checked for hazardous contents?
• Combustible materials in area removed or covered?
• Combustible floors protected?
• Wall/floor openings protected?
• Where is the nearest: Fire extinguisher? Fire alarm call points? Internal phone?

• Check for signs of fire after work completed.

Duties of the Authorised Person

An Authorised Person is someone who has sufficient technical knowledge, training and
practical experience of the Hot Work Processes and their associated hazards to
undertake a Hot Work Risk Assessment. The Authorised Person has the following duties:
(i) To assess the risks associated with the hot work activity and it's potential effect
on the surrounding area and processes.
(ii) To decide whether the work can be carried out in accordance with a Standard
Operating Procedure or whether a permit to work is required.
(iii) To issue the appropriate documentation to the Competent Person, discussing the
practicalities of the safety precautions and control measures required.
(iv) To monitor that during the hot work activity, the work is carried out in line with
the permit to work or standard operating procedure. Where the work extends beyond one day, to
extend the permit if the condit.ions are still applicable.
(v) To ensure that on completion of the hot work the Competent Person has left the area in a safe
condition and to cancel a permit if issued.
Duties of the Competent Person
A Competent Person is someone who is trained and experienced in the actual Hot Work activity and
has duties as follows:
(i) Ensure receipt from the Authorised Person (Hot Work Assessor) of either a Standard Operating
Procedure or a Hot Work Permit, prior to starting work.

(ii) If a permit is issued, discuss the safety precautions required with the Authorised Person
(Hot Work Assessor). Sign for acceptance of the permit to confirm understandin9 Of the
requirements and the obligation to carry out the instructions correctly.

(iii) Work in compliance with the job instructions and control procedures.
(iv) Adhere to any provision in the Safety Document (Safe Operating Procedure or
Permit to Work).
(v) Supervise, erect and maintain any barriers, screens or other protective measures.
(vi) Ensure/arrange communication and/or reporting procedures for emergency situations
as appropriate.
(vii) Observe all fire precautions.
(viii) Comply with any monitoring required by the documentation.
(ix} Keep the Hot Work Area clean, tidy an d free from any combustible materials.
(x) Restrict the use and application of heat to the stated points of work.
Leave the area in a safe condition if the hot work is suspended. The permit will
need to be formally extended or a new permit issued if the hot work is to
continue on a different day.
Comply with any requirements laid down in the Hot Work safety
document to carry out a personal inspection after a specified period following the last
application of heat.

On completion or cessation of the Hot Work, confirm that the Hot Work area is safe and
free from any source of ignition or any signs of any smouldering materials, tidy up the work
area, remove/replace any fire fighting equipment, if a permit was issued, sign it off and
return it to the Permit Issuer (Authorised Person).