Hot Work Procedures: Permit

HOT WORK PROCEDURES/ PERMITS

The purpose of this procedure is to instruct ship staff when preparing for and carrying out hot work and to provide guidance on other activities or operations that may be a source of ignition.

Welding Bay a designated area within the engine room, or inside the engine work shop. This area shall be clearly marked, and there shall be no combustible material within the designated Welding Bay.Pump Room – for the purpose of this procedure, the ballast pump room and/or deck trunk on vessels with deep-well pumps are considered as a normal cargo pump room, when the ballast pump room and/or the deck trunk is located within the cargo area. 3. RESPONSIBILITY Superintendent Review Hot Work requests and authorize or reject as appropriate in accordance with this procedure and relevant ISGOTT recommendations. Advising Fleet Manager prior to carrying out any hot work in cargo pump room, cargo tanks, ballast tanks, fuel tanks on any type of tanker. Or, in fuel oil tanks on all other vessels. When responding to the vessel by e-mail, a copy of the e-mail shall be attached to the original Hot Work Permit. Master Evaluating whether the hot work is necessary. Ensuring that hot work is carried out safely; that the work scope is clearly understood by the involved parties, and that the responsibilities are clearly understood. Approve the Hot Work Permit and countersigning it once hot work is completed.When required by the Hot Work Matrix, seeking authorization from the Superintendent, as far in advance as possible, for each intended hot work operation. This authorization is only valid for a maximum period of 12 hours from the start of work. A new Hot Work Permit and authorization is required to continue the same work beyond this time. Obtaining acceptance from shore and/or terminal authorities etc. when applicable. Notifying the Superintendent on completion of work as required. At the Master’s discretion, electronic cameras or video equipment may be used on deck, and a Hot Work Permit to this effect shall be issued by the Master.

Chief Officer or Chief Engineer (as nominated by the Master for the Hot Work operation) Ensuring that all risks are identified and mitigated before the start of the hot work and that safe conditions are maintained throughout the operation. Completing Section 1 “Hazard Identification” on the Hot Work Permit. Ensuring that the levels of hydrocarbon gas and oxygen are monitored before, during and after the hot work until conditions are deemed safe. Notify the duty deck and engine officers upon start and completion of hot work. Chief Engineer Ensuring that the precautions necessary in the designated welding bay or engine room workshop are in place. Officer in Charge of Hot Work Completing Section 2 of the Hot Work Permit. before hot work is started, periodically (every 3 hours) and/or following all breaks, during the validity of the permit.Ensuring that the operation is suspended and reevaluated, if: Ventilation to the space is stopped. Conditions noted in the Hot Work Permit is subject to changes. If the hot work continues over a change of watch, the oncoming officer must countersign the Hot Work Permit to indicate that all the conditions associated with the hot work are fully verified, understood, and will be maintained. Completing Section 3 of the Hot Work Permit on completion of hot work. 4. DESCRIPTION 4.1 Standard Precautions The following precautions are applicable to any hot work: Ensure that the space is gas free. Ensure that adjacent spaces and tanks are gas free or purged to less than 1%vol hydrocarbons and inerted. On vessels without inert gas, adjacent tanks must also be gas free. Ensure that the general area is gas free. Do not perform hot work during cargo loading, discharging and gas freeing operations onboard any tanker. Do not conduct hot work in any tank that contains oil or oil vapors, during gas freeing operations, or during tank cleaning operations.

Do no perform hot work within port limits unless permission from the port has been given. Ensure that precautions are in place to contain all hot slag, sparks etc. in the immediate work site. A safety observer (fire watch) is in attendance to watch for stray sparks / slag and for general safety. Adequate fire fighting equipment is available and ready for immediate use. For work in the pump room, ensure bilges are clean and gas free. For pipework in pumproom Ballast Lines – to be evacuated and water returned to ballast tank (via Wilden pump or similar) and if practicable removed to ER or poopdeck. If this not possible section to be isolated prior to commencing work. Cargo Lines – all to be evacuated, flushed through to Slop Tanks, section removed, if practicable, or positively isolated with Blanks and thoroughly cleaned. Any pipe or tank in the hot work area that may be a hazard should be positively isolated by blanking off, blinding, plugging or removing spool pieces and blanking off open ends. 4.2 General Precautions for a Designated Welding Bay On vessels where an Engine workshop is not fitted, an area in the engine room approved by the Superintendent must be designated as the welding bay. All normal precautions must be observed when welding in this area. The Hot Work in the ER workshop/Designated Welding Bay must be completed, and verified by the Chief Engineer prior to Hot Work in this area.The welding bay should be surrounded by non-combustible blankets or screens to prevent the escape of stray sparks / slag. There should be no possibility that sparks/slag can come into contact with combustible material within or external to the welding bay. Ventilation must be adequate to prevent any build up of fumes during welding etc. Appropriate fire fighting equipment such as a fire extinguisher or charged hose must be available in the immediate vicinity. Shielding must be in place to protect others who may enter the area during the hot work from welding flash, sparks, slag etc. The area must be kept tidy and free of any combustible materials. 4.3 Hot Work Procedure Note: For any work on critical equipment and systems, the Superintendent must be consulted on a case by case basis. Refer to the latest editions of ISGOTT & the relevant Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen. If required in the following matrix, submit a request for Hot Work authorization to the Superintendent. If appropriate, include additional information such as a Risk Assessment.

Send the completed Hot Work Permit by email to the Superintendent with copy to Fleet Manager. Print out, sign and file the document with any further correspondence deemed necessary. Post a copy of the Hot Work Permit near the site of hot work. Issue an individual Hot Work Permit for each job. This permit is only valid for 12 hours. Re-assess conditions and verify following all breaks. Only carry out hot work outside the main machinery spaces if no other viable means of repair exists. Consider alternatives including cold work, or removal of the work piece to the main machinery spaces. Work is only to be done on the poop deck if it is impracticable or hazardous to move the item for repair to the main machinery spaces. The poop deck is defined as the area of the upper deck abaft all accommodation structure(s) and / or engine housing. Consider the possible presence of hydrocarbon vapours in the atmosphere, and the existence of potential ignition sources when hot work is being conducted. Follow all preparations and precautions as outlined in the “Hot Work Matrix” and as described in the Hot Work Permit.On oil tankers, FSOs/FPSOs, gas, and chemical carriers, the use of barbecues or any other source of open-flame cooking device is strictly prohibited. On all other vessels, their use is at the Master’s discretion. The use of any portable cooking device outside galley and pantry areas is also prohibited. These prohibitions do not include electric kettles and coffee machines used inside the accommodation. Activity

Location

Flame, Electric arc, Disc cutting or Disc grinding

Needle gunning, Hand scaling, Pneumatic drilling, Pneumatic chisel, Grit/Hydro Blasting

Refer to Welding Bay or E.R. workshop

Poop Deck

Hot Work in the ER Workshop/Designated Welding Bay (HSE-004) 1, 3, 5, 6,10

6, 11

FSO Poop Deck

1, 3, 5, 6, 10

2, 3, 5, 6, 11

Sewage tanks, purifier

1, 8, 9, 10

2, 8, 9, 11

room, hydraulic rooms

All engine room tanks including cofferdams and void spaces

1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10

2, 8, 9, 11

Machinery Spaces outside the Engine Room Workshop*

1, 8, 10

Standard precautions

Main Deck

1, 3, 5, 6, 10

6, 11

Focsle

1, 4, 5, 6, 10

6, 11

Ballast tanks

1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10

2, 6, 9, 11

Cargo tanks

1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10

2, 6, 9, 11

Deck cofferdams and void spaces

1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10

2, 6, 9, 11

Cargo Oil/Vapour/IG Line/Heating coils/ LNG

1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10

6, 8, 11

All Fuel tanks

1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10

2, 6, 9, 11

Pump room

1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10

Standard precautions

Forecastle store / transfer pump rooms / bow thruster room

1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10

Inside accommodation

1, 6, 10, 12

Standard precautions

* Outside the Engine Room Workshop refers to all areas in the Engine Room except those identified on the Hot Work Matrix. Authorization is required from the Superintendent, and a Risk Assessment is required if the hot work is:

Within 1 meter of any oil pipeline. Within 5 meter of any gas line in engine room Within 1 meter of the pump room bulkhead or fuel oil tank bulkheads. Explanation of items 1 – 12 in the Hot Work Matrix for Tankers 1. Authorization required from the Superintendent. 2. Hot Work Permit approved by the Master is sufficient. 3. Ensure that adjacent spaces and ballast tanks are gas free. On membrane type gas carriers no hot work is to be carried out on bulkheads adjacent to insulation spaces. 4. Ensure adjacent cargo oil tanks have been washed, purged to less than 1% hydrocarbon by volume and are inerted. 5. Cargo oil tanks and slop tanks within a radius of 30 meters must be cleaned, purged to less than 1% vol. hydrocarbon and inerted. All other cargo tanks must be inerted with any openings closed. For gas carriers, authorization must be obtained from the Superintendent if any hot work is to be carried out within 30 meter from any cargo tanks. 6. Mast riser to be closed with all cargo oil tanks having close to, but not exceeding, 200mm IG pressure. On gas carriers cargo tank pressure to be maintained at least 50% below relief valve lifting pressure setting. 7. If working on pipelines; Disconnect, flush / clean and gas free the section where hotwork is to be performed; remaining system shall be blanked off. 8. Whenever possible, sections of pipelines and related items, such as strainers and valves should be removed from the system and hot work carried out in the designated welding bay or engine room workshop. Where hotwork on pipelines and related items needs to be carried out in place, the item requiring hotwork must be disconnected by cold work, cleaned and gas freed, and the remaining pipework blanked off. Heating coils to be flushed or blown through with steam and confirmed clear of hydrocarbons. 9. Any hot work in an enclosed space requires an Enclosed Space Entry to be completed.10. A Risk Assessment is mandatory for this work. 11. An informal Risk Assessment (Tool Box Talk or Take Five) is required for this work. 12. Accommodation Air Conditioning unit to be on recirculation. When welding on a bulkhead, the reverse side of bulkhead should be exposed to permit adequate monitoring, e.g. removal of paneling, insulation etc. Activity

Location

Flame, Electric arc, Disc cutting or Disc grinding

Needle gunning, Hand scaling, Pneumatic

drilling, Pneumatic chisel, Grit/Hydro Blasting

Refer to Welding bay or E.R. workshop Hot Work in the ER Workshop/Designated Welding Bay (HSE-004) 3, 8

Standard precautions

1, 6, 7, 8

2, 6, 7, 9

1, 4, 6, 7, 8

2, 6, 7, 9

1, 4, 8

Standard precautions

2, 4, 8

Standard precautions

2, 4, 8

Standard precautions

Ballast tanks

1, 4, 6, 7, 8

2, 6, 7, 9

Cargo tanks/holds/void spaces and cofferdams

1, 4, 6, 7, 8

2, 6, 7, 9

Poop Deck Sewage tanks, purifier room, hydraulic rooms

All engine room tanks including cofferdams and void spaces

Machinery Spaces outside the Engine Room Workshop* Main Deck If carrying dangerous cargo approval from Ship Team required otherwise

Focsle If carrying dangerous cargo approval from Ship Team required otherwise

Oil/Heating coils

1, 4, 6, 7, 8

2, 6, 7, 9

Fuel tanks

1, 4, 6, 7, 8

2, 6, 7, 9

Inside accommodation

2, 8, 10

Standard precautions

* Outside the Engine Room Workshop refers to all areas in the Engine Room except those identified on the Hot Work Matrix. Authorization is required from the Superintendent, and a Risk Assessment is required if the hot work is: Within 1 meter of any oil pipeline. Within 1 meter of the fuel oil tank bulkheads. Explanation of items 1 – 10 in the Hot Work Matrix for Other Vessels 1. Authorization required from the Superintendent. 2. Hot Work Permit approved by the Master is sufficient. 3. If carrying dangerous cargo, a Hot Work Permit approved by the Master is required. 4. Ensure that adjacent spaces and ballast tanks are gas free. 5. Disconnect flush / clean and gas free; remaining system blanked off. 6. Before commencing any hot work, perform a Risk Assessment on the pipe work to ensure that its integrity will not be affected by the intended work. Lines connected to the cargo system must be isolated during the work and where possible, inerted or gas freed. 7. Any hot work in an enclosed space requires an Enclosed Space Entry to be completed.8. A Risk Assessment is mandatory for this work. 9. An informal Risk Assessment (Tool Box Talk or Take Five) is required for this work. 10. Accommodation Air Conditioning unit to be on recirculation. When welding on a bulkhead, the reverse side of bulkhead should be exposed to permit adequate monitoring, e.g. removal of paneling, insulation etc.