Designated & Non-designated Hot Work Zones

The PAI must designate precautions to be followed in granting authorization to proceed with hot work, preferably in the form of a written permit.

Non-designated Areas

Cutting or welding must not be permitted in the following situations:

• Areas not authorized by management
• In buildings with sprinklers while such protection is impaired
• In the presence of explosive atmospheres (mixtures of flammable gases, vapors, liquids, or dusts with air), or explosive atmospheres that may develop inside dirty or improperly prepared tanks or equipment that previously contained such hazardous materials
• In areas near the storage of large quantities of exposed, readily ignitable materials such as sulfur, baled paper, or cotton

Designated Areas

A permit is not required to work in areas designated for hot work, though the area should be thoroughly inspected for potential sources of ignition before beginning each hot work operation.

To learn more about Hot Work visit our General Hot Work Online Training web page.