Form · MHSWR regulation 3
RAMS template
Risk assessment and method statement for one activity: the sequence of work, a five by five risk matrix, PPE, permits, rescue, and a briefing record signed against the revision.
Free download · Editable PDF
Free hot work permit template
A hot work permit for welding, cutting, grinding and torch-on roofing, as an editable PDF built on HSE guidance on fire safety in construction. It covers the precautions before the work, the fire watch during and after it, and who issues and closes the permit.
- Format
- Editable PDF
- Pages
- 2
- Built on
- HSE HSG168 (2022)
- Cost
- Free, always
What is in the hot work permit template
2 pagesLocation and time limits
The exact location, the date and the period the permit is valid for. One permit per location and period, never a blanket authorisation.
The work and the people
What is being done and with what, the person in direct control of the work, the fire watch, and how the alarm is raised.
Precautions before the work
Ten checks from HSE guidance, from clearing combustibles above, below and behind the work to two extinguishers within reach.
The fire watch
During the work and every break, continuously for at least an hour after the work ends, and a further check at two hours.
Issue, acceptance and close
Signed by the person who checked the area, the person doing the work, and the person who closes it once the checks are complete.
What HSE guidance says
Checked against the sourceAvoid it first
Hot work should be designed out where practicable and replaced with cold methods, and the need for it justified.
HSE HSG168, paragraph 118Use a permit
Where hot work cannot be avoided, control it with a formal system such as a permit to work, issued for a defined job and period, never as a blanket authorisation.
HSG168, paragraphs 127 and 128The fire watch
A continuous fire watch for at least an hour after hot work ends, followed by at least one more check two hours after it ends.
HSG168, paragraph 122Stop in good time
Complete hot work two hours before the end of the working day, so the fire checks can be carried out.
HSG168, paragraph 123The legal duty
Suitable and sufficient steps must be taken to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, the risk of injury from fire or explosion.
CDM 2015, regulation 29How to use it
Issue it for one job
One location, one period, one team. Fill in the precautions after walking the area, not from the cabin.
Keep the watch
Name the fire watch before work starts. The watch runs through breaks and for at least an hour after the last spark.
Close it properly
Only after the two-hour check and a final look at the area, ideally with a thermal camera. Ask site security to check former hot work areas.
Asked most often
Questions about
Questions about
this template.
What is a hot work permit?
A written authorisation for work that produces flame, sparks or heat, such as welding, cutting, grinding or torch-on roofing. It covers one location and a set period, with the precautions before, during and after.
How long should a fire watch last after hot work?
At least an hour of continuous fire watch after hot work ends, then at least one more check two hours after it ends. That is the figure in HSE guidance on fire safety in construction, HSG168.
When should hot work stop for the day?
Two hours before the end of the working day, so the fire checks can be carried out, according to HSG168.
Who can issue a hot work permit?
Only people with clearly assigned authority and enough information about the work to identify the hazards and the precautions. On higher-risk sites HSE expects the principal contractor to control the permit system.
Why is the permit red-edged?
HSE guidance on permit systems, HSG250, suggests red or red-edged forms for hot work, so a hot work permit is recognised at a glance.
Is the hot work permit template free and editable?
Yes. It is an editable PDF, free to download, use and reuse, including on paid work. Type into it in any PDF reader, or print it.
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Next step
The same records,
The same records,
without the paper.
On the platform these stop being sheets. The check, the person, the date, the signature and the action that followed are recorded as the work runs and retrieved by site.