The fire permit, a hot topic!

Fires affect all sectors of activity. In more than 30% of cases, hot spot work is the cause of these often catastrophic fires. Analysis of accident data shows that there are no "small jobs" and that poorly prepared operations or operations carried out without sufficient precautions can cause serious losses. Nearly 70% of companies that have suffered a serious fire do not see their activity resume within the year and disappear from the economic landscape.

Hot spot work includes:

• operations involving the removal of materials or disassembly of equipment (cutting, grinding, deburring, etc.),

• assembly operations (welding) or waterproofing (bitumen).

Generally speaking, this designation includes all work generating sparks or hot surfaces which could contribute to the occurrence of a fire.

Rotating portable machines (grinders, chainsaws, drills, etc.) generate as many accidents as oxy-cutting torches and welding stations. The fire permit is intended to regulate all operations likely to generate hot spots. When hot spot work involves a permanent station (fixed welding station, for example), the fire permit is not necessary, as the control of ignition sources is already carried out in the workplace risk assessment (DUERP, or even DRPCE) .

The preparation of a fire permit is mandatory for all hot work, whether these operations are carried out by the company itself or by an external company. This process is integrated into existing procedures (work authorization, prevention plan, special health and safety plan (PPSPS)...) and is an integral part of the prevention measures resulting from the company's risk assessment (DUERP).

The fire permit must be formalized and explained. Each person involved must be aware of the risks and the means to be implemented to reduce them and must agree to comply with the rules of the intervention. The fire permit procedure must be clearly displayed. The various managers, specifically designated on the permit, must be physically present during the execution of the work (including for shift work).

When an intervention is planned, the work supervisor must inform the safety officer as soon as possible so that he can initiate the process of establishing the fire permit. The rapid transmission of information is essential to enable the safety officer, assisted by competent people internally or externally, if necessary, to put in place the necessary measures.

Who fills it?

Established by the employer or his representative (subject to a valid delegation of authority) , the fire permit authorizes the execution of hot work under defined conditions, whether carried out by the company's personnel or by those of an external company.

Even in the case of an intervention by internal company personnel, we will use the generic terms user company – entity which requests the work – and intervening company – personnel which carries out the work.

The fire permit process is based on various complementary stakeholders, both at the user company and the intervening company level. In all cases, these people must be aware of the operational data related to the intervention and its environment.

Three actors from the user company :

• the employer or his representative,

• the person responsible or supervisor of the work, the person competent to ensure the smooth technical progress of the intervention,

• the operation safety officer, a person competent to ensure the implementation of the safety measures necessary to prevent risks at the intervention site and in the surrounding area.

Two actors from the intervening company :

• the intervention manager, a person competent to ensure smooth technical progress and safe execution,

• the operator, the competent person in charge of carrying out the intervention. The fire permit must be validated by the actors of the user company mentioned above as well as by the person responsible for the intervention of the intervening company. The different actors mentioned may be the same person depending on the organization of the company. Each signatory will have a copy of the document in their possession. Before the start of work , it is imperative to inform all operators in the areas concerned by the fire permit of the measures taken.

How long is it valid?

The fire permit has a limited validity period . It must be re-evaluated as soon as one of its constituent elements has changed (location, environment, process, nature of the work, participants, etc.). Its validity period is in any case clearly indicated on the document.

If a fire permit is valid for several days, its validity must be checked daily. This is because it is important to ensure that there are no new risks, even in neighboring areas (related to the phenomenon of thermal conduction, for example).

For companies operating in successive teams, the fire permit must be validated at each change of position , in order to ensure the transmission of information to the next team.

At the end of the work, it is advisable to archive the fire permit for a period similar to that of the prevention plans (recommended duration: 5 years), which allows a history to be created and the traceability of the interventions to be established.

The 3 stages of the fire permit

Preparation : The most important phase remains the preparation of the operation. Good planning in advance provides gains in terms of prevention as well as in the duration and quality of intervention.

In order to identify all the risks associated with hot work during an intervention, a precise and chronological operating procedure must be drawn up. This operating procedure specifies, in particular, the intervention phases involving hot work, the tools and processes used, as well as the intervention locations. The risk analysis of this operating procedure must lead to the definition of specific measures, for example the implementation of mechanical ventilation systems in confined areas, occasional or continuous atmospheric monitoring, or even the locking of the installation. It is advisable to consider the existing automatic detection or extinguishing systems in the intervention area. In the event of all or part of the system being shut down, at least equivalent safety measures must be put in place , in agreement with the company's insurer. In the event that the intervention is carried out by an external company, the latter must draw up and transmit its operating procedure to the user company as soon as possible.

Implementation : Supervision of the operation by a person trained in first response in firefighting and equipped with the necessary resources is essential for the proper completion of the work. This person is identified as “the safety supervisor”. During the intervention, any change resulting in a modification of the initial operating procedure (change of schedule, additional operations, change of processes, locations, etc.) must lead to a new risk analysis of the work phases concerned and a new definition of preventive measures if necessary.

After the work : The period following the work should not be neglected. Indeed, analysis of the number of claims has shown that the risks of fire and explosion can persist after the work has been carried out (slow-growing smoldering fire, for example).

Sources:

INRS