Hot work involves activities such as welding, cutting, or grinding that generate sparks or heat. This type of work poses one of the highest fire risks in industrial and commercial settings. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), hot work is a leading cause of fires in industrial and commercial facilities, accounting for thousands of incidents annually (NFPA, 2020). To mitigate this risk, standards such as AS/NZS 1674.1:1997 require management to implement strict fire prevention measures through a hot work permit, which includes the need for a firewatch.
What is a Firewatch?
A firewatch is a trained individual assigned to monitor hot work areas during and after operations. Their primary purpose is to detect sparks, heat, or smouldering materials that could ignite nearby combustibles. Standards such as AS1674 mandate that a firewatch must:
- Remain on duty during hot work wherever fire hazards are present, including combustible materials within 10m. They cannot be assigned other duties that distract from observation.
- Stay after work ends, maintaining watch for at least 30 minutes, and in some cases up to 4 hours, to ensure no delayed ignition occurs.
- Be trained to recognise hazards, understand hot work permit systems, operate fire extinguishers, raise alarms, and initiate emergency response.
- Be equipped with appropriate firefighting equipment (portable extinguishers), PPE, and reliable communication tools.
- Cover all hazard zones. If sparks can travel through walls, floors, or ducts, additional firewatchers must be assigned to each affected area.
- Have authority to stop work immediately if unsafe conditions arise.
The presence of a firewatch is documented on the hot work permit, and failure to provide one is a common issue identified in an inferior hot work permit process. Similarly, often the person assigned the responsibility of a firewatch does not understand their role and, therefore, does not carry out this role effectively.
Challenges and the Role of Video
While the firewatch is essential, there are practical challenges. Having someone present for a 4 hour period post work is not a practical solution in many instances. As a recent innovation, video surveillance has been adopted as an additional control for this problem.
Modern video-based firewatch systems use fixed or mobile cameras to provide:
- Continuous surveillance without fatigue, extending beyond the minimum monitoring period.
- Thermal imaging to detect heat or embers invisible to the naked eye.
- Real-time alerts using AI analytics to identify sparks, smoke, or abnormal heat conditions.
- Documentation of hot work activity for compliance audits and investigations.
A hybrid approach is increasingly considered best practice: a trained firewatch remains physically present to take immediate action, while video monitoring provides additional oversight and coverage of multiple or hard-to-access areas.
Conclusion
Hot work fires remain a significant safety risk, but adherence to standards through a properly trained and equipped firewatch dramatically reduces the likelihood of incidents. When enhanced with video technologies, organisations can strengthen compliance, reduce human error, and add a second layer of protection. In modern high-risk environments, combining traditional firewatch practices with video-based monitoring offers the most effective strategy for managing hot work safely.
References:
- NFPA (2020). NFPA 51B: Standard for Fire Prevention During Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work. National Fire Protection Association.
- Standards Australia (1997). AS/NZS 1674.1: Safety in Welding and Allied Processes – Fire Precautions.
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