Purpose

This document sets out the procedures to be followed when carrying out hot works in the Wet Dock or the covered slipway at Circus Field canal basin.

Definition

Hot works are any activity which results in the presence of heated material and consequently in an increased fire risk. Examples include using naked flames for cutting, welding, or soldering; electric arc welding and cutting; sparks produced by grinding metal or cutting with abrasive discs; and use of a blowlamp to remove paint.

Responsibility

The slipway hirer is responsible for ensuring that these procedures are followed.

Risks

The immediate risk is from the heating activity itself — nearby flammable material may catch fire. Nearby also includes areas which may not be immediately visible, such as the inside of the hull or the other side of a bulkhead adjacent to where hot work is happening.

There is also a delayed risk, where nearby flammable material is heated but does not immediately take fire and subsequently smoulders and then catches fire, or where residual heat is transmitted to flammable material which then catches fire.

Precautions

As far as practicable, slipway and wet dock users should avoid hot works. Where they are necessary, they should be planned so as to be undertaken in the fewest possible periods — for example, try to get all welding done on one day.

Dock and Slipway Users Shall

• Restrict access to the Slipway/Wet Dock using the thumbturns on the entry doors from the Workshops before hot work is to take place.
• Ensure that all flammable material is removed as far as is practicable from the vicinity of the hot work. Particular attention should be paid to fuel and gas pipes, insulating material, electric cables, paints, solvents, and rags.
• Ensure that a suitable portable fire extinguisher is available at the site of the hot work. A portable extinguisher trolley is provided for this purpose and is normally stored in the covered slipway.
• Check that anyone involved in hot works, either directly or indirectly, understands where the fire extinguishers are and knows how to use them.
• Check that anyone involved in hot works, either directly or indirectly, understands where the fire exits are and the best route to them.
• Provide people to monitor the worksite and surrounding areas for spread of fire. These should cover any areas to which heat might spread whenever the whole of the area surrounding the work site is not immediately visible from the work site. When arc welding is taking place, an assistant must be nearby to stop welding in the event of a fire, as the welder is unlikely to see a fire start.
• Inspect the area around and nearby the worksite (inside and outside) immediately after completion of hot works.
• Have an adult remain with the boat for at least one hour after the completion of hot work so that the risk of undetected delayed fire is minimised.