HOT WORK GUIDELINES 3. MANDATORY AREAS REQUIRING HOT WORK PERMITS Within the Service Station Site

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1 1. GENERAL This procedure gives guidelines for the precautions and preparation that should be followed to ensure that work covered by a hot work permit can be carried out safely without risk to people or property. Detailed guidelines for welding safety are covered in AS and these should be used as a reference for developing control procedures. Many fires occur while repairs and alterations are being carried out to plant and buildings. Fire Hazards from these operations can be reduced by having a property supervised hot work permit system in place. 2. DEFINITIONS 2.1. Hot work is work that can generate flame, heat or sparks and includes, but is not limited to, the following: Welding, brazing or electric arc welding Soldering Heat gun operation Use of open flames for heating or cutting Abrasive blasting Grinding Use of gasoline or other internal combustion engines and other similar appliances that produce sufficient heat to ignite flammable vapours Hazardous Area is an area in which flammable liquids, vapours or gasses; combustible liquids, dust or fibres; or other flammable or explosive substance may be present Combustible Material is material that can contain combustion without the addition of an external heat source, eg timber framing or expanded polystyrene present within walls and ceilings or forested areas containing dry grass Responsible Officer is a supervisor, tradesperson or contractor having a satisfactory knowledge of the fire, explosion and toxicity hazards associated with hot work in hazardous areas and who is adequately trained and experienced in the procedures and precautions necessary for the elimination of any risk involved Hot Works Supervisor is a person responsible for authorising work. Hot work permits are only to be authorised by the Supervisor Maintenance or the Site Infrastructure Manager Fire Watcher is a nominated person to observe the work being conducted does not give rise to a dangerous situation and raises an immediate alert if it does (see 4-10) Fire Watch is a period after work is complete (typically a minimum of 60 minutes). The area is to be checked for any signs of ignition. The need for a fire watch is dependant of the situation and is to be assessed as part of issuing the permit. Note due to the nature of FSP (Foam Sandwich Panel) a minimum fire watch period of 3 hours is required when working in the vicinity of this material. 3. MANDATORY AREAS REQUIRING HOT WORK PERMITS 3.1. Within the Service Station Site 3.2. Above coldroom facilities (or in a manner that would potentially apply heat to foam sandwich panel) 3.3. Within buildings where gas ripening is conducted 3.4. Within buildings where LP Gas is stored 3.5. Within 15 metres of an LP Gas Refuelling facility 3.6. Within areas designated confined spaces Page 1 of 6

2 4. IS A HOT WORK PERMIT REQUIRED Answering YES to any of the following questions will require a Hot Work Permit to be obtained YES NO 1. Do drains, pits and depressions need to be isolated and sealed? 2. Do combustible materials/gases need to be removed from the work area or made safe? 3. Do tanks, valves, vents and pipelines need to be blanked off or effectively isolated? 4. Is ventilation poor? 5. Are spark and splash screens required 6. Are there contaminated areas to be covered? 7. Is a firewatch required? 8. Is the wind direction and strength a factor? 5. HOT WORK PERMIT PROCEDURE 5.1. Responsible officer and other persons doing the work are to conduct thorough inspection of site where hot work is to be done in a hazardous area Review the general precautions in Section 4 and the hot work permit Establish what precautions need to be taken Hot work permit must be obtained prior to commencement of hot work. The form may be obtained from the Site Services Office. Authorisation to proceed with hot work will be issued by the hot work supervisor Person dong the work is to post the permit at the hot work location during the entire works If a fire watch is required the responsible officer may inspect the work site during the works and for the required period after Upon completion of the works the responsible officer is to conduct thorough inspection of site where hot work was done Return completed hot work permit to the Site Services Office. 6. GENERAL PRECAUTIONS 6.1. Supervision The responsible officer shall ensure that: The hazards of the location are identified. The means of managing the hazards is in place; and Hot Work Permits are referred to the Hot Work Supervisor before approval to proceed is given Prior to Performing Hot Work Consider the following: Can hot work be avoided? Can you use a safer alternative? Page 2 of 6

3 Can the work be done outside the building /area? Can cutting with hand or electric saws or pipe cutters replace flame cutting? Is it feasible to use a mechanical means of joining eg nuts and bolts, screwed fixings or couplings? Is hand filing possible instead of grinding? Can threaded pipe be used instead of welded pipe? 6.3. Compliance All hot work is to be conducted in accordance with AS Safety in Welding and Allied Processes 6.4. General This policy applies to any employee or any contractor who is performing new construction, repair, maintenance, renovations and/or alterations that require hot work in any hazardous area or area containing combustible materials 6.5. Hot Work Area The area within a radius of 15m in the case of hazardous areas and 15m from combustible material as in any other area from the point where the hot work is to be undertaken, including the space above and below that area, shall be made safe by various techniques, preparation and testing to ensure that any risk of fire or explosion resulting from the hot work is eliminated The following containments shall be effected: Hot work areas shall be isolated using appropriate warning barriers. Vapour-tight barriers may be necessary between equipment, piping, sewers, tanks and the like that may contain hazardous materials and the hot work area. Screens should also be used to protect other works from arc welding or cutting flash. Any pipe or tank in the hot work area that may be a hazard shall be positively isolated by blanking off, blinding, plugging or removing spool pieces and blanking off open ends. Discharge from pressure relief, excess flor and overflow valves shall be piped to discharge at a safe area. It may be necessary to find other means of venting the adjacent lines, to eliminate the hazard of the relief valve opening while hot work is in progress. Equipment or facilities that may produce flammable or combustible liquids, gases or vapours in or around the safe area should be secured against inadvertent opening Safe Atmosphere AS1674 gives recommended procedures to prepare for hot work on equipment that has held or may have held flammable or explosive substances. Equipment, piping and tanks on which hot work is to be undertaken shall be thoroughly drained, flushed with water, dried, steamed and/or purged as necessary, to provide an atmosphere that can be tested and certified gas free, immediately before commencement of hot work. Sludge and scale should be removed, as they may have entrapped volatile material that could be released and ignited by sparks of hot metal. Ventilations shall be provided to remove any existing fumes as well as those that may be generated from the work (eg welding). Ventilation may need to be mechanical Housekeeping Combustible material that cannot be removed shall be covered with a safely-secured non/flammable cover. Oily surfaces and oil spills shall be hosed down, then sanded over. Trash, oily rages and the like should be removed. If build-up combustible dirt and debris are present and cannot be completely removed the area should be thoroughly damped down. Page 3 of 6

4 6.8. Sewers and Drains For sewers and drains fitted with a p-trap or other type of seal, the operator should ensure that the bottom of the baffle is below water level. Sewers and drains should be covered by wet sandbags, to prevent escape of vapours or gas Fire Fighting Equipment On-site fire fighting equipment shall be serviceable and ready to operate should an emergency develop during a period of hot work. Users shall be competent in its operation. An assessment must be made prior to commencing work of what fire fighting equipment is appropriate (see Section 7 for a guide). Be aware of: Electrical Hazards Oils and combustible liquids Wind and its effect on extinguisher performance Potentially hazardous atmosphere created fires and fire fighting As a minimum a 4.5Kg dry chemical fire extinguisher should be available for immediate use. Fire hose reels (if appropriate) should be unwound and turned on at the reel ready for immediate use Firewatchers During progress of hot work, the assigned firewatcher shall ensure that no condition arises, or action is taken, that will lead to a hazardous situation in the hot work area. Constant vigilance, checking of adjacent equipment and observance of safe practices is essential Contaminated Ground Ground that has been contaminated by spilled flammable or combustible liquids shall be covered with at least 50mm of clean damp sand. This shall be cleaned up and properly disposed of afterwards Movement of Traffic Whenever possible, vehicular traffic should be kept out of hot work areas while work is in progress Shielding Where shielding is required to confine a hot work area, non-combustible welding blankets should be used in preference to wet tarpaulins. Welding screens should be used to protect others from radiation. Signs should be displayed warning of hazards eg welding flash Isolation of Fire Detection Systems The responsible officer is to ensure fire detection systems in the area of the hot work are isolated as appropriate and put back on line at the completion of the job. 7. HOT WORK PERMIT 7.1. Site Location Date 7.2. The hot work that is covered by this permit 7.3. The location of the hot work 7.4. The equipment to be used 7.5. The fire fighting equipment to be laid out at the worksite (min 4.5kg dry chemical) Page 4 of 6

5 7.6. Whether the following checks have been made: (Note: All questions are to be answered and initialled by the issuing responsible officer. NA means not applicable. Have drains, pits and depressions been checked, isolated and sealed? Yes/NA Are covers suspended below work to catch sparks where applicable? Yes/NA Have combustible materials been removed from the work area or made safe? Yes/NA Is floor swept clean and wet down as necessary? Yes/NA Are combustible floors/walls/ceilings protected (min 15m radius)? Yes/NA Are all wall and floor openings protected? Yes/NA Are combustible materials on other side of wall or ceiling moved away? Yes/NA Have tanks, valves, vents and pipelines been blanked off or effectively isolated? Yes/NA Is ventilation adequate? Yes/NA Are spark and flash screens in place? Yes/NA Have leaks from flanges and the like been controlled? Yes/NA Have containers been purged of flammable liquid/vapours? Yes/NA Has contaminated ground been covered? Yes/NA Is the fire equipment checked and laid out ready for use? Yes/NA Is the fire detector system isolated? Yes/NA Is a fire watch required? For a period of Yes/NA If required, has a fire watch been organised? Yes/NA Is the wind direction satisfactory for hot work to be done? Yes/NA Has the site of the hot work been barricaded? Yes/NA Is gas testing required to check for ascertaining explosive atmosphere? Yes/NA Is explosive atmosphere in area eliminated? Yes/NA Other precautions taken? List? Yes/NA 7.7. Gas Testing Equipment make and model Serial No. Date of last equipment check Date of test Results of test: Percentage Lower Explosion Level Is hot work safe to proceed based on this level? Initials of tester: Page 5 of 6

6 7.8. This permit is valid from / / am/pm / / am/pm 7.9. Name of staff/contractor performing the work: Print name: Contact No The work has been inspected and all precautions taken. Permit received by: Person performing work The work site has been inspected by me and declared safe for hot work to proceed. Responsible Officer: Approved by Hot Work Supervisor: This permit was returned/cancelled at am/pm on / / By: To: The work site has been inspected by me at the expiry/cancellation of this hot work permit and declared safe for normal operations to resume Responsible Officer: FIRE WATCH (IF REQUIRED). The worksite and adjacent areas where sparks may have spread were inspected by me during and for at least 60 minutes after work was completed and no fire conditions were noticed Fire Watcher: THIS HOT WORK PERMIT SHOULD BE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED ON THE WORKSITE. UPON COMPLETION RETURN THIS HOT WORK PERMIT TO THE PLACE OF ISSUE (Site Services). Permit to be filed. PLEASE ENSURE AUTOMATIC FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS ARE DE-ISOLATED AT COMPLETION OF WORK Page 6 of 6