Preventing Hot Work Deaths: CSB’s ’7 for Safety’

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has identified over 60 fatalities since 1990 due to explosion and fires from hot work activities on tanks. “Hot work” refers to any task that involves burning, welding, or a similar operation capable of initiating fires or explosions, such as cutting, brazing, grinding, and soldering.  

To find out why these types of accidents occur, CSB studied 11 incidents, all of which involved hot work on tanks. Although the incidents were unique, all resulted from a flammable vapor coming in contact with an ignition source created by welding or cutting that was performed in, on, or near tanks containing flammables.

In some instances, the presence of a flammable material was unknown to the workers. In all cases, says CSB, the workers had no knowledge that an explosive amount of flammable vapor had accumulated.

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7 for Safety

Here are the 7 recommendations CSB investigators made after studying these hot work accidents.

1.   Use alternatives. Whenever possible, avoid hot work, and consider alternative methods.

2.   Analyze the hazards. Before starting hot work, perform a hazard assessment that identifies the scope of the work, potential hazards, and methods of controlling those hazards.

3.   Monitor the atmosphere. Conduct effective gas monitoring in the work area using a properly calibrated combustible gas detector before and during hot work activities, even in areas where a flammable atmosphere is not anticipated.

4.   Test the area. In work areas where flammables are stored or handled, drain and/or purge all equipment and piping before performing hot work. When welding on or in the vicinity of tanks and containers, properly test and, if necessary, continuously monitor all surrounding tanks or adjacent spaces for the presence of flammables and eliminate potential sources of flammables.

5.   Use written permits. Ensure that qualified personnel familiar with the specific site hazards review and authorize all hot work and issue permits specifically identifying work to be conducted along with required precautions.

6.   Train thoroughly. Train personnel on hot work policies and procedures, proper use and calibration of combustible gas detectors, safety equipment, and job-specific hazards and controls. This should be done in a language understood by the workforce.

7.   Supervise contractors. Provide safety supervision for outside contractors conducting hot work. Inform contractors about site-specific hazards, including the presence of flammable materials.

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Training for All Employees

Safety Training Presentation’s welding, cutting, and brazing PowerPoint® training program is just 1 of 25 core safety presentations, each one responsive to either an OSHA training requirement or to common causes of workplace accidents. All are customizable, so you can add your specific hazards or safety policies.

Each lesson also includes completion certificates, sign-in sheets, evaluation forms, and training records. In short, it contains everything you need to motivate, reinforce, retain, and transfer new knowledge—and document that you did so.

In addition to hot work, Safety Training Presentation topics covered include:

—Bloodborne Pathogens
—Back Safety
—Emergency Action
—Ergonomics
—Fire Prevention
—PPE
—Portable Power Tool Safety
—Scaffolds
—Lockout/Tagout
—Forklift Operator Safety
—Confined Space Safety
—Fall Protection
—Respiratory Protection
—and more!

Of course, training needs change as OSHA introduces new requirements or as new work practices and technologies bring new hazards. To cover this, you receive a new CD every 90 days that you’re in the program, each containing five additional or updated topics.

Just as important for those on a budget (and who isn’t these days?), the cost of these presentations works out to under $20 each.

We’ve arranged for Advisor subscribers to get a no-cost, no-obligation look at Safety Training Presentations for 30 days. Feel free to try a few lessons with your own trainees. Please let us know, and we’ll be glad to set it up.

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