Fire Watch Duties — Deep Dive
Construction and general industry · Ver en español
Talking points
- The fire watch has one job: watch for fire. They must not perform other tasks, leave the area, or become distracted during hot work and for at least 30 minutes after.
- The fire watch must have a charged, appropriate fire extinguisher immediately accessible and must know how to use it. PASS: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.
- The fire watch must know how to activate the fire alarm and call 911. If the fire is beyond incipient stage or the extinguisher does not control it, evacuate and call for help.
- During the 30-minute post-work watch, the fire watch checks all areas where sparks or heat could have traveled — behind walls, above ceilings, below floors, and inside concealed spaces.
- Document fire watch activity: who served as fire watch, the time hot work started and stopped, the time fire watch ended, and any observations. This documentation is part of the hot work permit.
Ask the crew
Who is the fire watch for today's hot work — and do they have an extinguisher, a clear understanding of their duties, and no other assigned tasks?
Standards this talk is built on
A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.
Run this talk with your crew and keep the record
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Sign-in sheet
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| Name | Signature | Date |
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