98. Precautions during welding, cutting or grinding.
(1)No person other than a competent welder duly authorised by the manager shall carry out welding or cutting work requiring use of flame or electric welding apparatus.(2)No welder shall undertake any welding or cutting work in any classified hazardous area unless a written permit, called "hot work permit" in the form and method specified by the Chief Inspector of Mines is issued to the supervisor of the welder by the manager, deputy manager or installation manager and copies of every such hot work permit is maintained and kept available at the installation.(3)The person who has issued the permit shall explain the content of the hot work permit to the concerned welder and take his signature thereon to that effect before the commencement of hot work.(4)No work such as welding or cutting or grinding shall be undertaken in hazardous area unless the area is duly examined and found gas free by a competent person authorised for the purpose and a report of every such examination shall be recorded and maintained.(5)During any work of welding, cutting or grinding, the welder shall ensure that-(a)all flammable material, oil grease, oil-soaked earth are removed from the area;(b)no match, lighter, or smoking apparatus or any other source capable of igniting flammable gas is present at or around his place of work:Provided that nothing in this clause shall be deemed to prohibit the use of any suitable apparatus for the purpose of lighting or re-lighting the welding torch;(c)adequate precaution is taken to prevent fire being started by spark, slag or hot metal;(d)adequate number of suitable type of fire extinguishers and other fire fighting arrangements are made and kept readily available for immediate use;(e)when operation is carried out in confined space, adequate ventilation by mechanical means is constantly provided to prevent accumulation of flammable gas; and(f)when operation is carried out on pipeline which contain flammable fluid, the pipe be disconnected or blinded, the line be positively isolated, drained or purged with inert gas or water before hot work is undertaken and adequate precaution taken against build-up of pressure in the line while hot work is in progress:Provided that nothing in this clause shall be deemed to prohibit the use of hot-tapping machine on a running pipeline with prior written permission of the manager, deputy manager or an installation manager.(6)The installation manager shall ensure that where hot work permit is issued, welding and cutting operations are carried out in accordance with the said permits.
