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Hot work is any task related to maintenance chores or renovations where flames, sparks or heat are produced and a subsequent conflagration could occur. The sparks and molten globules thrown off by hot work are uncontrolled multiple ignition sources that can fly and roll a considerable distance and potentially start a fire if they fall on combustible materials. Often the combustible material that may sit close to a hot work site may not be readily visible.

Contrary to the general perception, hot work is not just cutting and welding. It includes other operations which produce heat including brazing, grinding, sawing, soldering, thawing frozen pipe, applying roof covering or sealing plastic shrink-wrap by torch. Hot work is common to all industries and organizations.

Most hot work accidents are due to human factors and those directly responsible could be a facility's employees or the fault could lie with a contractor. FM Global reports that over the past five years there were 267 fires and explosions caused by hot work at insured locations with a gross loss total of over US$300 million.

Contractors and Hot Work
Over the last five years, contractors have accounted for 66.5 percent of all hot work losses at FM Global insured properties, including some that have excellent loss prevention programs in place. This represents a nine-percent increase over the previous five-year period. There are several reasons for this increase. The two most important — more services are being outsourced and contractors are not being held accountable for their actions while on your property.