Hot work permit checklist

Site: ______________________ Date: ____________ Checked by: ______________________

01Planning and permit

Cold work methods considered and ruled out. WSH (Risk Management) Regs
Risk assessment covers this location and task, and the crew has been briefed. WSH (Risk Management) Regs
Hot work permit issued, signed and displayed at the work location.
No incompatible work nearby, such as spray painting or solvent cleaning.
Confined space entry permit also in place if the work is inside a confined space. WSH (Confined Spaces) Regs

02Work area

Combustibles removed from the area, or covered with fire-retardant blankets or metal sheets.
Floor, wall and duct openings sealed so sparks can't drop through.
Far side of walls and the level below checked for combustibles.
Gas test shows no flammable atmosphere, and the result is recorded on the permit.
Drums, tanks or pipes being worked on are cleaned, purged or inerted and tested.
Fume extraction or ventilation set up and working.

03Equipment and cylinders

Flashback arresters fitted on oxygen and fuel gas lines near the regulators.
Hoses free of cuts, burns and taped repairs, with proper crimped fittings.
Cylinders upright, secured and away from the spark zone.
Welding cables and earth return undamaged and connected close to the work.

04People and fire protection

Fire watch appointed, with no other duties, and briefed on how to raise the alarm.
Suitable extinguisher or hose reel at the work point, charged and in date. WSH (General Provisions) Regs
Escape route from the work area clear. WSH (General Provisions) Regs
Welder wearing the correct filter shade, flame-resistant clothing, gauntlets and boots.
Screens set up to protect passers-by from arc flash and spatter.

05After the work

Cylinder valves closed and hoses purged or removed.
Fire watch kept in place for at least 30 minutes after work stops.
Final check for smouldering material, including the level below, before the permit is closed.

Legal requirement

In Singapore, the WSH (General Provisions) Regulations, as summarised by the WSH Council, require reasonably practicable steps to keep heat and ignition sources apart from flammable materials. They also require accessible, regularly tested means of fire extinguishment and a clear means of escape. A risk assessment is required under the WSH (Risk Management) Regulations, and hot work inside a confined space needs a confined space entry permit.

This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.

Hot work permit checklist

01Planning and permit

02Work area

03Equipment and cylinders

04People and fire protection

05After the work

Sources and further reading

Related reading

Hot work safety: what supervisors need to know

Gas cylinder storage checklist

Toolbox talk: welding fumes