Hot work is any work that involves burning, welding, using
fire- or spark-producing tools, or that produces a source of ignition. Welding and cutting operations are common to drilling and servicing
operations.
Test for flammable gases in the work area before starting
any hot work. Potentially hazardous areas include, but are not limited to, well
heads,
fuel tanks,
mud tanks, tank batteries,
gas separators, oil treaters, or
confined spaces where gases can accumulate.
|
Fig. 1. Hot work - welding
|
 Hot
Work, Fire, and Explosive Hazards |
Fig. 2. Welding with fire control
|
Workers performing hot work such as welding, cutting, brazing, soldering, and grinding are exposed to the risk of fires
from ignition of flammable or combustible materials in the space, and from leaks
of flammable gas into the space, from hot work equipment.
Potential Hazard:
- Getting burned by fires or explosions during hot work.
Possible Solutions:
The basic precautions for fire prevention are:
Special Precautions:
-
Do not perform hot work where flammable vapors or combustible materials
exist.
Work and equipment should be relocated outside of the hazardous areas, when
possible. [29 CFR 1910.252(a)(1)(ii)]
-
Make suitable fire-extinguishing equipment immediately available. Such equipment
may consist of pails of water, buckets of sand, hose, or portable
extinguishers. [29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(ii)]
-
Assign additional personnel (fire watch) to guard against fire while hot work
is being performed. Fire watchers are required whenever
welding or cutting is performed in locations where anything greater than a minor fire
might develop. [29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(A)]
-
Fire watchers shall:
-
Have fire-extinguishing equipment
readily available and be trained in its use.
-
Be familiar with
facilities for sounding an alarm in the event of a fire.
-
Watch for fires in all exposed areas, try to extinguish them only when
obviously within the capacity of the equipment available, or otherwise
sound the alarm.
-
Maintain the fire watch at least a half
hour after completion of welding or cutting operations to detect and
extinguish possible smoldering fires. 29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(B)
Potential Hazard:
- Getting burned by a flash fire or explosion that results from an accumulation of flammable gases, such as Methane or Hydrogen Sulfide, around
the wellhead area.
Possible Solutions:
-
Monitor the atmosphere with a gas detector. If a flammable or combustible gas
exceeds 10 percent of the lower explosive level (LEL), the work must be stopped.
-
Identify the source of the gas and repair the leakage.
Additional References:
-
OSHA Standards
- American Petroleum Institute (API)
-
RP 54, Recommended Practice for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well
Drilling and Servicing Operations, Wireline Service.
- Publication 2201, Procedures for Welding Or Hot Tapping On Equipment Containing
Flammables, (1995).
- National Fire Protection Association
-
30, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code.
-
51-B, Standard for Fire Prevention
During Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work.
-
Recommended Safe Procedures and Guidelines for Oil and Gas Well Servicing.
Association of Energy Services Companies (AESC).
- Hot Work.12 KB PDF, 2 pages.
Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management at 202-693-2310 for assistance accessing PDF
materials.
|
| Welding,
Cutting and Brazing |
Fig. 3. Welding - hot work
|
All hot work is potentially hazardous and a
hazard assessment
should be performed to determine where the hazards exist.
Potential Hazard:
- Injury and illness caused by hot work (such as, welding fumes, UV
light, sparks, noise, or skin injury).
Possible Solutions:
-
Inspect the work area to ensure that all fuel and ignition sources are
isolated by shielding, clearing the area, lockout/tagout, soaking flammable
material with water.
-
Wear appropriate PPE, such as face shield, leather welder's vest, and gauntlet
gloves. Use cotton or denim clothing.
-
Provide UV shielding for arc welding where practical.
-
Inspect welding and cutting equipment before use (arc or gas welding/burning).
-
Leak test gas torches, gauges, and hoses.
-
Review the hot work permit if available.
-
Ensure the availability of adequate fire watch/fire protection equipment.
-
Ensure adequate ventilation from toxic welding and cutting fumes.
Special Hazard:
- Accumulation of toxic gases within a confined space.
-
A hazardous atmosphere exists in oxygen-deficient (atmospheric concentration of
less than 19.5 percent) or oxygen-enriched (atmospheric concentration of more than 23.5 percent). 29 CFR 1910.146
confined space entry.
Possible Solutions:
-
Ventilate toxic metal fumes mechanically, if entering a confined
space, such as inside of a mud tank, water tank, oil tanks, hoppers, sump,
pit or cellar.
-
Use a written permit system to document authorization to enter, the work to be
performed, and the results of the gas monitoring where there is a potential for
toxic, flammable, or oxygen-deficient atmosphere. Both a hot work and confined
entry permit may be required for welding, cutting or brazing within a confined
space.
Additional Information:
-
Recommended Safe
Procedures and Guidelines for
Oil and Gas Well Servicing.
Association of Energy Services Companies (AESC).
- OSHA Fact Sheet. 54 KB
PDF, 2 pages.
-
Use of Anchors and Guywires. 72 KB
PDF, 12 pages.
-
Use of Compressed Gas Cylinders. 12 KB
PDF, 3 pages.
-
Crane Operation. 15 KB
PDF, 4 pages.
-
Proper Electrical Safety (including hot sticks). 17 KB
PDF, 4 pages.
-
Hot Work. 9 KB
PDF, 2 pages.
-
Fall Protection Systems. 16 KB
PDF, 4 pages.
-
H2S - Hydrogen Sulfide. 14 KB
PDF, 2 pages.
-
Respirator Usage. 68 KB
PDF, 18 pages.
-
Use of wooden, metal and plastic (fiberglass) portable ladders. 17
KB
PDF, 4 pages.
-
Scaffolding. 23 KB
PDF, 7 pages.
-
Vehicle Operation. 10 KB
PDF, 2 pages.
-
ANSI Z49.1-67 Safety in Welding and Cutting, American National Standards Institute.
-
AWS Z49.1-88, Safety in Welding and Cutting and Applied Processes, American Welding
Society.
Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management at 202-693-2310 for assistance accessing PDF
materials.
|
| Cylinder
Storage |
Fig. 4. Properly stored cylinders
|
Potential Hazard:
- Falling or rolling injuries from improper gas cylinder storage
Possible Solutions:
- Ensure cylinders are properly stored in an upright position and chained in separate racks.
- Store full and empty cylinders separately.
Potential Hazard:
- Valve opening or break off, exposing workers to toxic fumes and flammable
gas, caused by improper gas cylinder storage
Possible Solutions:
- Store cylinder properly.
- Always remove gauges and regulators, and install protective valve caps
before transporting.
Potential Hazard:
- Gas cylinders causing fires or explosions
Possible Solutions:
- Store cylinders in a dry, well-ventilated location.
- Avoid storing flammable substances in the same area as gas
cylinders.
- Avoid storing cylinders of oxygen within 20 feet of cylinders
containing flammable gases.
- Store all cylinders upright and chained in separate racks.
- Store full and empty cylinders separately.
Additional Information:
|
| Grinding |
Fig. 5. Hand grinding
|
Potential Hazard:
- Grinding (that results in sparks, noise, eye and
skin injury from flying metal filings, grinding wheel pieces, etc.).
- Having fingers or hands caught in the grinding wheel, resulting in amputation.
- Being struck by portable grinder.
Possible Solutions:
-
Wear appropriate PPE, such as face shield. Use cotton or denim clothing.
-
Inspect grinding equipment before use.
-
Review the hot work permit if available.
-
Ensure the availability of adequate fire watch/fire protection equipment.
|
| Well
Site Ignition Sources |
Fig. 6. Ignition source
|
There
are a
number
of
potential
sources
of
ignition
for
flammable
gases
and
liquids
on the
drill
site. It
is
necessary
to
provide
for a
general
ignition
safety
program
which
could
pre-empt
potential
hazards
of fire
and
explosion.
Potential Hazard:
- Ignition and explosions of
flammable
gases
or
vapors
from:
- Internal-combustion engine
sparks
- Open flames from any source
- Smoking
- Welding operations
- Electric power tools
- Two-way radios
- Vehicles with catalytic
converters
- Portable generators
Possible Solutions:
- Provide spark arrestors for
internal-combustion engines.
- Post "NO SMOKING" signs
wherever
a
flammable
gas
or
vapor
hazard
exists.
- Locate "spark producing"
equipment or facilities well away from
potential hazard areas.
- Prohibit vehicles with catalytic
converters from the immediate vicinity
of the rig.
- Prohibit open flames from the vicinity
of the rig.
Additional Information:
-
American
Petroleum
Institute
(API).
-
RP 54, Recommended Practice for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well
Drilling
and
Servicing
Operations,
Wireline
Service.
- RP
500,
3rd
Edition,
Classification
of
Locations
for
Electrical
Installations
at
Petroleum
Facilities
Classified
as Class
1,
Division
1 and
Division
2.
- RP
505, 2nd
Edition,
Classification
of
Locations
for
Electrical
Installations
at
Petroleum
Facilities
Classified
as Class
1, Zone
0, Zone
1 and
Zone 2.
- Accident
Prevention Reference Guide.
International
Association
of
Drilling
Contractors
(IADC).
-
Recommended Safe
Procedures and Guidelines for
Oil and Gas Well Servicing.
Association of Energy Services Companies (AESC).
- OSHA Fact Sheet. 54 KB
PDF, 2 pages.
-
Use of Anchors and Guywires. 72 KB
PDF, 12 pages.
-
Use of Compressed Gas Cylinders. 12 KB
PDF, 3 pages.
-
Crane Operation. 15 KB
PDF, 4 pages.
-
Proper Electrical Safety (including hot sticks). 17 KB
PDF, 4 pages.
-
Hot Work. 9 KB
PDF, 2 pages.
-
Fall Protection Systems. 16 KB
PDF, 4 pages.
-
H2S - Hydrogen Sulfide. 14 KB
PDF, 2 pages.
-
Respirator Usage. 68 KB
PDF, 18 pages.
-
Use of wooden, metal and plastic (fiberglass) portable ladders. 17
KB
PDF, 4 pages.
-
Scaffolding. 23 KB
PDF, 7 pages.
-
Vehicle Operation. 10 KB
PDF, 2 pages.
- 29 CFR 1910.106, Flammable and Combustible Liquids.
OSHA
Standard.
-
29 CFR 1910 Subpart S, Electrical.
OSHA
Standards.
Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management at 202-693-2310 for assistance accessing PDF
materials.
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