What Does
Hot Work Mean?
Hot work is any type of task that involves the creation of a spark or that could result in the combustion of a material. There are many tasks that are considered hot work. These tasks are differentiated from other tasks and called hot work so that special safety requirements can be applied to them.
Corrosionpedia Explains Hot Work
A large number of tasks fall under the category of hot work. Some common examples of these tasks include welding, thermal cutting, grinding, preheating, post-heating, soldering and brazing. The spark for these tasks does not necessarily have to be a lit fuel gas. For instance, grinding simply creates sparks by the energy created by the friction of the abrasive wheel and the material being worked on. Also, electric arc welding processes do not use fuel gas combustion, but they are still considered hot work because they have the potential to ignite nearby combustible materials.
Most safety organizations classify hot work tasks separately from other types of tasks performed at a job site or workplace. These separate classifications are used to reduce the risk of injury or damage to the employees, the public and the property near the hot work being performed. Some safety organizations require that employees who perform hot work have training prior to being able to perform the task.