What counts as hot work?

Anything producing flame, sparks or enough heat to ignite nearby material. Welding and oxy cutting are obvious. Angle grinding, disc cutting, brazing, soldering, thermal lances and some hot air work also count, and grinding causes a large share of hot work fires precisely because it feels routine.

How long must the fire watch continue after work stops?

For the period set by your procedure, the applicable standard and your insurer, which commonly runs from thirty minutes to several hours depending on the risk. Record the figure you are applying and its source on the permit. Many hot work fires are discovered well after the work finished, which is exactly what the monitoring period exists to catch.

Can the person doing the work also be the fire watch?

No. An operator with a welding helmet down cannot see sparks landing behind them, and cannot both fight a fire and make the work safe. The fire watch is a separate named person with no other task.

Do we need a permit for hot work in a designated workshop?

A properly designed hot work area with non-combustible surfaces, no combustible storage and appropriate ventilation may be exempted by your procedure. Define that exemption in writing, inspect the area regularly to confirm it still qualifies, and require a permit for all hot work outside it.

Hot works permit template (free download)

Hot works permit

Hot work means any task producing flame, sparks or enough heat to ignite something: welding, cutting, brazing, soldering, grinding and thermal work. Most hot work fires start not in the work area but in a void, duct or adjoining room where a spark landed unnoticed. This permit forces the checks that prevent that, including the fire watch that continues after the tools go down.

Who it's for: Maintenance and engineering supervisors, facilities managers, permit issuers, contractors doing welding or grinding, and the appointed fire watch.

Free to use and adapt · Last updated 2026-08-02 · No email required

Before you use this form

Ask first whether the job can be done without hot work. A bolted repair, a cold cut or a workshop fabrication removes the fire risk entirely and is always the better answer where it is available.

Fire watch duration, clearance distances and monitoring periods vary by jurisdiction, by your insurer's requirements and by the specific conditions. Record the figures you are working to below and cite their source. Do not rely on remembered numbers, and check whether your insurance policy imposes stricter conditions than the law does.

Permit details

Permit number

Exact location of hot work Building, level, room, asset. Note what is on the other side of every wall, floor and ceiling

Description of work and equipment used Welding, oxy cutting, grinding, brazing, hot air

Why the work cannot be done cold or off site

Valid from and valid until (date and time)

Workers performing the work

Appointed fire watch A named person, not the operator

Fire safety systems

Impact on detection and suppression systems assessed before starting
Detectors isolated only where unavoidable, with the isolation logged and a hard end time
Monitoring company and site security notified of any isolation
Sprinkler protection remains in service, or a documented alternative is in place
Isolated systems will be restored and tested immediately after the monitoring period ends
Alarm call points and evacuation routes remain accessible throughout

Area preparation

Sparks travel further than people expect, and they fall. Check below and behind, not just around.

Clearance distance applied, and its source From your procedure, the applicable standard or your insurer. Record the figure and the reference

Combustible materials removed from the area, or the clearance distance in your procedure achieved
Combustibles that cannot be moved are covered with fire-resistant blankets or screens
Floor swept clean, and combustible floors protected or wetted
Openings, cracks, ducts, drains and conveyor paths covered or sealed
The space below, above and on the other side of the work has been checked and protected
Flammable liquids, gases and dusts removed from the area
Containers, tanks or pipework previously holding flammables have been purged and tested
Ventilation adequate for fumes, and extraction will not carry sparks into ducting
Area screened to protect passers-by from arc flash and sparks
Gas cylinders secured upright, hoses and regulators inspected, flashback arrestors fitted

Firefighting equipment on hand

Equipment	Type and size	Location relative to the work	Last inspection date	Checked by
Extinguisher 1
Extinguisher 2
Fire blanket
Charged hose or water supply

Fire watch

The fire watch is a named person whose only job is watching for fire. They do not assist with the work. They stay during the work and for the full monitoring period after it stops.

Monitoring period applied after work stops, and its source From your procedure or insurer requirements. Record the duration and the reference

Fire watch name and signature

Fire watch appointed, briefed and present before work starts
Fire watch knows how to raise the alarm and how to call 111
Fire watch is trained and confident to use the extinguishers provided
Fire watch has clear sight of the work area and the areas sparks could reach, including below
Fire watch continues for the full monitoring period after the tools stop
A final check of all adjacent and concealed spaces happens at the end of the monitoring period

Authorisation

Role	Name	Signature	Date and time
Permit issuer
Person doing the work
Fire watch
Area owner

Close-out

Any smouldering, heat or smell of burning found (Y/N) If yes, do not close the permit. Extend the watch and investigate

Permit closed by, and time

Check	Time	Result	By
Work stopped
Work area inspected
Adjacent and concealed spaces inspected
Monitoring period ended, final inspection
Detection and suppression restored and tested
Monitoring company and security notified of restoration