Hot Work

Policy

This policy outlines the requirements in schools for hot work tasks.

Summary

• The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 2004 (Vic) requires the department to provide or maintain, systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health.
• The principal and/or their delegate (as the local management representative) must identify, assess, control, monitor OHS risks in relation to hot work tasks.
• The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that no department employee is permitted to undertake any hot work tasks unless their role specifically requires them to do so.
• Under the OHS Act 2004, employees while at work must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and the safety of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.
• Central and regional offices provide a range of supports and services to assist principals and employees to be safe and well, including access to an OHS Advisory Service and local OHS regional officers who can provide free advice to schools for managing risks related to hot work tasks.
• The Hot Work Procedure (in the Procedure tab) must be followed, and sets out the practical step-by-step instructions for implementing this policy related to hot work tasks.
• This policy forms part of the department’s OHS Management System, see OHS Management System (OHSMS) Overview for further information.

Details

The principal and/or their delegate, in consultation with the Health and Safety Representative (HSR) and employees must:

• identify all tasks which have the potential to generate heat, flames or sparks
• record hazards (for example, fire and explosion) associated with the hot work tasks to be undertaken, in the ‘Hazard Description’ column of the OHS risk register (XLSX)
• ensure that all hot work tasks are risk-assessed using the Risk Assessment template (DOCX) or equivalent template prior to hot work tasks undertaken
• ensure that employees undertaking hot work tasks, as part of their role, must complete a risk assessment using the risk assessment template or equivalent template
• ensure that employees are trained to undertake hot work tasks as outlined in their job role, and that training records are maintained, such as by using the OHS Training Planner/Register template (XLSX) or equivalent
• implement risk controls to manage hot work tasks using the hierarchy of controls, and ensure that risk assessments and implemented controls are recorded on the OHS risk register
• review the controls implemented to ensure their effectiveness in managing the risk, and incorporate any changes to controls on the OHS risk register
• ensure that, prior to staff undertaking hot work tasks, all hazardous areas or items and ignition sources surrounding the hot work area are isolated or otherwise controlled (refer to the Equipment Isolation and Tag Out Policy)
• ensure that a trained fire watch observer is appointed and present for the entire duration of the hot work task. The fire watch observer must be able to operate fire and emergency equipment and wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for example, a welding mask
• ensure that no hot work tasks are undertaken without a trained fire watch observer being present
• ensure that no hot work tasks are undertaken outside on days of total fire ban
• authorise hot work tasks undertaken by contractors.

For further information on the process for meeting these requirements refer to the Hot Work Procedure.

Definitions

Contractor
Contractors including any service providers or individuals who are not direct employees of the department who are providing services or works in relation to maintenance and repair work and other contracted services engaged by schools such as cooking demonstrations, sports coaching and other activities including workshops and incursions.

Hierarchy of controls
There are a number of ways that risks associated with hazards can be reduced however, the effectiveness of each method may vary. The prioritising of approaches in managing the risks associated with a hazard is called the hierarchy of controls and indicates the decreasing level of effectiveness of various approaches. The hierarchy of controls are:

• eliminating the hazard at the source
• substituting the hazard with something else that poses a lesser risk
• isolating the hazard with an engineering control
• implementing administrative controls and changing the way work is done
• providing PPE.

Often a number of different approaches are used in conjunction with each other to provide a more effective risk treatment.

Hot work tasks
An operation involving open flame, abrasive grinding and cutting, welding, thermal or oxygen cutting or heating and other related heat-producing or spark-producing operations.

Related policies

• Contractor OHS Management
• Equipment Isolation and Tag Out
• Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management in Schools
• OHS Induction and Training
• OHS Purchasing
• OHS Risk Planning and Management
• Plant and Equipment

Relevant legislation

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)

Hot Work Procedure

The Hot Work Procedure must be followed and sets out the practical step-by-step instructions for implementing the Hot Work Policy.

It contains the following chapters:

1. Hot work task identification
2. Assess hot work tasks
3. Implement controls
4. Record hot work risk controls
5. Monitor and review risk controls
6. Isolation of ignition sources
7. Fire Watch personnel
8. Authorising contractors undertaking hot work tasks
9. Total Fire Ban
10. Legislation, codes of practice, standards and guidance

1 Hot work task identification

The principal and/or their delegate, in consultation with the Health and Safety Representative and employee must identify all tasks which have the potential to generate heat, flames or sparks. Examples include:

• welding
• burning
• flame cutting
• brazing or soldering
• plasma cutting
• grinding
• metal spraying.

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that hot work tasks are identified and recorded in the ‘Hazard type’ column of OHS risk register (XLSX) for example, 'fire and explosion'.

2 Assess hot work tasks

The principal and/or their delegate, in consultation with the Health and Safety Representative (HSR) and employees must ensure that:

• all hot work tasks are risk-assessed using the Risk Assessment Template (DOCX) or equivalent template prior to the hot work task is undertaken
• the risk management methodology as outlined in the Risk Management Procedure is followed to assess the level of risk of the hot work task

2.1 Employees undertaking hot work tasks

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that employees undertaking hot work tasks, as part of their role:

• must complete a risk assessment prior to undertaking the hot work task using the Risk Assessment Template (DOCX) or equivalent template (refer to the OHS Risk Management Procedure for directions)
• are trained to perform the hot work task

3 Implement controls

Once the hot work tasks have been risk assessed, a control strategy to either eliminate or control the risk is to be developed and implemented.

The principal and/or their delegate in consultation with the HSR and employees:

• must ensure that risk controls to manage hot work tasks are identified and implemented using the order of the hierarchy of controls. Examples include:
  • elimination — use pre-cast components e.g. purchase materials already joined
  • substitution — conduct arc welding instead of flux-cored wire welding to reduce the risk of exposure to radiation and fumes
  • engineering — install local extraction ventilation systems, isolation of ignition sources, and installation of welding bay screens
  • administration — develop and provide training in Safe Work Procedures for employees
  • personal protective equipment (PPE) — spark-or-fire-resistant clothing or welding masks

4 Record hot work risk controls

The principal and/or their delegate, in consultation with the Health and Safety Representative (HSR) and employees must record identified and implemented risk controls to manage hot work tasks on the OHS risk register (XLSX).

5 Monitor and review risk controls

The principal and/or their delegate, in consultation with the HSR and employees must review the controls implemented to ensure their effectiveness in managing the risk incorporate any changes to controls on the OHS risk register (XLSX).

6 Isolation of ignition sources

Prior to undertaking the hot work task the principal and/or their delegate must ensure that all hazardous areas/items and ignition sources surrounding the hot work area are isolated or otherwise controlled (refer to the Equipment Isolation and Tag Out Policy).

This may include removing flammable materials and cordoning / screening off the area to prevent the ignition of any materials, contaminants, agents, or conditions that may be harmful to persons undertaking the tasks and others or property.

7 Fire Watch personnel

The principal and/or their delegate or contractor must ensure that a trained fire watch observer is appointed and present for the entire duration of the hot work task. No hot work is to be undertaken without a trained fire watch observer being present.

The fire-watch observer must be able to operate fire and emergency equipment and wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Examples of PPE are:

• eye and face protection (for example, welding mask)
• hand protection (for example, dry, hole-free, insulated and flame-resistant welding gloves)
• head and ear protection (for example, approved ear-plugs or muffs, helmets)
• body protection (for example, spark/fire resistant clothing)
• foot protection (for example, leather steel capped high-topped boots)

8 Authorising contractors undertaking hot work tasks

To authorise hot work tasks undertaken by contractors the principal and/or their delegate must ensure:

• that contractors complete and submit the mandated Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) (DOCX) or equivalent template for any hot work task
• the completed SWMS at a minimum must include the following:
  • removal of ignition sources and flammable material
  • isolation of work area and signage
  • emergency procedures
  • provision of PPE
  • fire watch observer
• that the submitted SWMS is reviewed and signed to verify it has been sighted
• a copy of the signed SWMS is retained

9 Total Fire Ban

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that outside hot work tasks are prohibited on days of total fire ban.

10 Legislation, codes of practice, standards and guidance

• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)

Resources

Templates relevant to this policy and procedure

• OHS risk register (XLSX) – used to record hazards (for example, fire and explosion) associated with the hot work tasks to be undertaken, in the ‘hazard description’
• Risk Assessment Template (DOCX) – this (or equivalent template) should be used to ensure that all hot work tasks are risk-assessed prior to hot work tasks being undertaken
• OHS Training Planner/Register (XLSX) – ensures that employees are trained to undertake hot work tasks as outlined in their job role, and that training records are maintained
• Safe Work Method Statement (DOCX) – for contractors completing hot work