The actual rules behind hot work fire watch.

Not generic fire-safety talk — the specific OSHA citations that require a fire watch during welding, cutting, and brazing, plus the extinguisher training every fire watch is expected to know.

HOT WORK FIRE WATCH — THE CITATIONS

General industry and construction, side by side.

OSHA covers hot work fire watch in two parallel standards. They're closer than most people expect — both use the same 35-foot trigger and the same 30-minute post-work hold.

29 CFR 1910.252(a)

General Industry

Fire watch required when welding/cutting produces sparks that could reach combustibles more than 35 ft away, or when appreciable combustible material is within 35 ft and can't be moved or shielded.
Fire watch must have extinguishing equipment ready and know how to sound the alarm.
Fire watch stays in place for at least 30 minutes after hot work stops, watching for a smoldering fire — 1910.252(a)(2)(iii).

29 CFR 1926.352(e)

Construction

Same 35-ft trigger for appreciable combustible material, plus wall/floor openings and metal partitions that could conduct heat to combustibles on the other side.
Fire watch must be trained in the extinguishing equipment provided, not just standing by with it.
Fire watch is maintained for at least a half hour after work is completed — 1926.352(e)(5).

WHAT THIS MEANS ON YOUR SHIFT

If you're the fire watch, the job doesn't end when the torch goes off. Start your 30-minute clock the moment hot work stops, and don't leave the area or hand off early — a smoldering fire in insulation or debris can take that long to show itself. Log the actual stop time and your release time, not just "watched during hot work."

PASS TECHNIQUE — 29 CFR 1910.157(g)

Portable extinguisher training, the way it's actually taught.

OSHA's training standard (1910.157(g)) requires employees who may use a portable extinguisher to be trained at initial assignment and annually after that. PASS is the technique used to meet that training — four steps, in order.

STEP 1

Pull

Pull the pin at the top, breaking the tamper seal. This unlocks the handle.

STEP 2

Aim

Aim low, pointing the nozzle or hose at the base of the fire — not at the flames.

STEP 3

Squeeze

Squeeze the handle evenly to release the agent. Most units run out in 8–20 seconds.

STEP 4

Sweep

Sweep side to side at the base until the fire is out, watching for reflash after.

WHAT THIS MEANS ON YOUR SHIFT

Know where the nearest extinguisher is before you start your rounds, not after something's already burning. If you use one, PASS only works on a fire that's still small and hasn't spread past what one unit can handle — if it's bigger than that, sound the alarm and evacuate instead of fighting it.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Fire watch and extinguisher questions we get on site.

Does OSHA require a fire watch for hot work?

Yes. Under 29 CFR 1910.252 (general industry) and 29 CFR 1926.352 (construction), a fire watch is required whenever welding, cutting, or brazing takes place and combustible material within 35 feet cannot be removed or otherwise protected, or where a fire could develop for any other reason.

How long does a fire watch have to stay after hot work is done?

Both 29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(iii) and 29 CFR 1926.352(e)(5) require the fire watch to remain in place for at least a half hour (30 minutes) after welding or cutting operations are completed, to catch a smoldering fire before it spreads.

What is the PASS technique for a fire extinguisher?

PASS stands for Pull the pin, Aim low at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep side to side. It's the standard technique taught to satisfy the portable fire extinguisher training requirement in 29 CFR 1910.157(g).