Do I need a permit for hot work?

The law requires the fire risk from hot work to be assessed and controlled. A permit is the standard way to do that and most customers and insurers require one. The method statement should say who issues it and what it covers.

How long is the fire watch after hot work?

At least an hour after the work stops, with a final check later. Materials can smoulder for a long time before flaming. Put the time on the permit.

Hot works method statement

Hot work is the job most often done under a permit, and the method statement is what the permit checks against. This example covers a fabrication firm repairing steel railings and a gate at a customer's yard with arc welding and an angle grinder.

Last reviewed 17 September 2026

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Sequence of work · Hot works: welding and cutting on site

1Arrive and set upFire from sparks, slag and hot metal
2Cut out damaged sectionsGrinder injuries and noise; fire; hot metal
3Fit and weld new sectionsWelding fume; arc eye and burns; fire
4Grind and primeGrinder injuries and noise; solvent vapour from primer
and 1 more

Next review17 September 2027

OutputPDF, numbered and dated

Controls

across 5 hazards, ticked into the steps where they apply

The completed method statement

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Method statement

Safe system of work: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 2

Document numberMS-031

Revision1

Date17 September 2026

Last reviewed17 September 2026

Next review17 September 2027

Job	Hot works: welding and cutting on site
Contractor	Merrick Fabrications Ltd
Client or principal contractor	Hollis Haulage Ltd
Location	Customer's rear yard, along the north boundary fence and at the vehicle gate
Dates and duration	One day, 8 am to 4 pm
Prepared by	Tom Merrick
Reviewed by	Tom Merrick
Approved by	—

1. Scope of work

Repair of steel railings and a vehicle gate at the customer's yard: cutting out damaged sections with an angle grinder, welding in new sections by MMA arc welding, grinding welds and priming.

2. People, plant and materials

Who does the work	Two welders, both coded to BS EN ISO 9606-1, one of whom acts as fire watch while the other works. No apprentices on this job.
Supervision	Tom Merrick, by phone, and on site for the permit
Plant and equipment	Inverter welding set on a 110 V supply from the van, angle grinder with guard and 1 mm cutting discs, fire blankets, two 9 litre water extinguishers and one CO2, welding screens, extension leads on an RCD
Materials	Mild steel flat and box section, welding rods, primer
PPE	Welding helmet with auto darkening lens, leather gauntlets and apron, flame resistant overalls, safety boots, hearing protection and face shield for grinding, FFP3 RPE for welding longer than a few minutes
Permits and access	Hot work permit issued by the customer's site manager before work starts and signed off after the final fire check

3. Hazards and controls

1. Fire from sparks, slag and hot metal

Combustibles moved at least 10 metres away or covered with fire blankets
Fire watch throughout the work and for an hour after, with an extinguisher to hand
Hot work permit issued before work starts

2. Welding fume

Work positioned so the welder is upwind of the fume
FFP3 RPE for anything more than a few minutes of welding
COSHH assessment for welding fume in the van

3. Arc eye and burns from spatter and hot metal

Welding helmet and leather gauntlets worn; screens set up so passers by cannot see the arc
Hot metal marked and left to cool before handling

4. Grinder injuries and noise

Guard fitted, disc within date and the right type for cutting
Face shield and hearing protection for grinding

5. Electric shock from the welding set and leads

Leads checked before use, return clamp close to the work
Supply through an RCD, set switched off when not in hand

4. Sequence of work

1. Arrive and set up
Report to the site manager, walk the work area together, agree where vehicles will not park, and get the hot work permit issued. Set up the welding set, screens and extinguishers. Move or cover everything combustible within 10 metres.
HazardsFire from sparks, slag and hot metal
Controls
- Combustibles moved at least 10 metres away or covered with fire blankets
- Hot work permit issued before work starts
2. Cut out damaged sections
Mark the sections to be removed. With the fire watch in position, cut with the angle grinder, supporting the section so it does not drop. Set cut pieces aside on bare ground to cool.
HazardsGrinder injuries and noise; fire; hot metal
Controls
- Guard fitted, disc within date and the right type for cutting
- Face shield and hearing protection for grinding
- Fire watch throughout the work and for an hour after, with an extinguisher to hand
3. Fit and weld new sections
Clamp new sections in place, check alignment, tack, then weld out. The welder works upwind, the fire watch watches the far side of the fence and the ground below.
HazardsWelding fume; arc eye and burns; fire
Controls
- Work positioned so the welder is upwind of the fume
- FFP3 RPE for anything more than a few minutes of welding
- Welding helmet and leather gauntlets worn; screens set up so passers by cannot see the arc
4. Grind and prime
Grind welds flush where required, brush off scale, and apply primer once the metal is cool. No priming while any hot work continues nearby.
HazardsGrinder injuries and noise; solvent vapour from primer
Controls
- Face shield and hearing protection for grinding
- Primer applied only after all hot work has stopped, outdoors
5. Fire watch and hand back
Stop hot work by 3 pm. Fire watch continues for an hour, checking both sides of the fence and the ground. At 4 pm walk the area with the site manager, sign off the permit, and pack up.
HazardsFire from smouldering material
Controls
- Fire watch throughout the work and for an hour after, with an extinguisher to hand

5. Emergency arrangements

Fire: shout, use the extinguisher if it is safe to, otherwise get clear and call 999 from a safe place. Tell the customer's site manager. First aid kit and burns dressings in the van; the customer's first aider is in the transport office. Eye injury from the arc: stop work, cool compress, and get to A&E. Report every accident and near miss to Tom Merrick on the day.

6. Notes and attachments

Risk assessment RA-012, hot works, and the COSHH assessment for welding fume are attached. Both welders have read them and signed the briefing record.

A method statement is a safe system of work: how the job will be done, in order, with the controls from the risk assessment built into each step. It is a starting point; the contractor must check it against the actual site and the actual job before work starts, and stop and revise it if the work changes.

Why it is written this way

The sequence runs from the permit to the last fire check an hour after the work stops. The controls for fire are the same at every step: combustibles cleared or covered, an extinguisher within reach, a fire watch who does nothing else.

Welding fume is a carcinogen, so the method statement says how it is controlled outdoors (position upwind, RPE for anything more than a few minutes) and points at the COSHH assessment for the fume.

The customer's own permit system takes precedence where one exists. The method statement says who issues the permit and who signs it off at the end, so that is never in doubt on the day.

Controls follow HSE guidance: HSE, Welding; HSE, Fire safety; HSE INDG163, Risk assessment: a brief guide to controlling risks in the workplace. Checked 17 September 2026.

This document is a starting point. The employer must check it against the actual workplace, the product safety data sheet and current HSE guidance before relying on it. It is not an HSE approved document.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for hot work?: The law requires the fire risk from hot work to be assessed and controlled. A permit is the standard way to do that and most customers and insurers require one. The method statement should say who issues it and what it covers.
How long is the fire watch after hot work?: At least an hour after the work stops, with a final check later. Materials can smoulder for a long time before flaming. Put the time on the permit.

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