Hot work permits in Reigate: welding, cutting, roofing

A hot work permit is a written record completed before anyone uses an open flame, generates sparks or applies heat to a structure. Welding, soldering, grinding, torch-applied roofing and angle cutting all fall under this definition.

The permit names the person doing the work, the exact location within the building, the start time and the planned finish. It also lists every precaution taken beforehand. That usually means moving flammable materials at least ten metres away, covering fixed combustibles with fire-resistant blankets and checking that ventilation will not carry sparks into hidden voids.

Without this document, there is no formal check that the area is safe. A contractor might assume someone else cleared the space. The person responsible for the building might assume the contractor brought their own precautions. The permit forces both sides to confirm the details in writing before any tool is switched on. For buildings already subject to a [fire risk assessment in Reigate](/checks-and-training/fire-risk-assessment-reigate), the permit sits alongside that broader record as proof of daily control.

The person issuing the permit must understand the building and the risks involved. On a large site, that might be a dedicated safety manager. In a smaller Reigate business, it is often the owner or the [responsible person for fire safety](/who-needs-what/responsible-person-duties).

Two signatures are needed. The issuer confirms the area has been checked and the precautions are in place. The person carrying out the hot work confirms they understand the limits of the permit, including where they can and cannot move while working.

If a specialist contractor is brought in for roof repairs or pipe fitting, they do not simply write their own permit and start. The building management still holds responsibility for the premises. Handing over control of a floor to a welder without checking the surrounding rooms leaves gaps that a standard [compartmentation survey](/checks-and-training/compartmentation-survey-reigate) would have identified. The permit bridges that gap for the duration of the work.

Sparks travel further than most people expect. They bounce off concrete, roll along floors and drop through small openings in suspended ceilings. Clearing the immediate workspace is only the first step.

Everything combustible within ten metres needs to go. If it cannot be moved, it must be covered with non-combustible sheeting. Cardboard boxes, packaging waste, solvent-soaked rags and dry timber offcuts are the usual problems. Even dust layers on high shelves can ignite if a spark lands in them.

Doors to adjacent rooms should be closed. If the work is happening near a corridor used for escape, the [fire evacuation plan](/checks-and-training/fire-evacuation-plans-reigate) may need a temporary adjustment so occupants know about an alternative route. Vents and ducts close to the work zone should be sealed or monitored, because smoke and heat travel through them quickly. Where permanent barriers like [fire doors](/checks-and-training/fire-door-inspection-reigate) exist between the work area and occupied rooms, those doors must stay shut throughout the job.

Most fires caused by hot work do not start while the torch is lit. They start twenty minutes or two hours later, when smouldering insulation or a heated beam finally reaches ignition temperature.

The permit requires a fire watch. This means a named person stays in the area once the work finishes, looking and smelling for signs of burning. The standard minimum watch period is sixty minutes, though some insurers require longer for high-risk jobs like bitumen roofing.

That person needs access to a suitable extinguisher and must know how to raise the alarm. If staff in the building have not received [fire safety awareness training](/checks-and-training/fire-safety-awareness-training-reigate), the fire watcher might be the only one who understands what to do in the first few seconds. Leaving the area unattended immediately after welding is the single most common failure recorded in post-fire investigations.

A hot work permit does not replace a [fire strategy](/checks-and-training/fire-strategy-reigate) or a full risk assessment. It is a task-specific control used inside the framework those documents create.

When refurbishment is planned, the building's existing fire safety arrangements dictate how permits are managed. If a [health and safety report](/checks-and-training/health-and-safety-reports-reigate) already notes poor compartmentation or blocked routes, issuing a hot work permit in that same area demands extra controls, such as additional fire watchers or restricted working hours.

For landlords managing shared housing, any maintenance involving heat must follow the same discipline expected during an [HMO fire risk assessment](/checks-and-training/hmo-fire-risk-assessment-reigate). Tenants need warning, escape routes must remain clear, and the contractor must sign out formally when the watch period ends. Keeping copies of every issued permit builds a record that shows the building was managed actively, day by day, rather than only when an inspector visited.