Lesson 1 of 5 · 3 min read
What a fire watch is and when it's required
A trained person assigned to watch for fire when a building's normal protection is reduced, or during work that can start one.
A working definition
A fire watch is a trained person, or a team, assigned to do one thing: watch for fire and raise the alarm. It fills a gap. When a building loses its automatic protection, or when work on site can start a fire, human eyes and a phone stand in until the risk is over.
The three common triggers
- Hot work. Welding, cutting, grinding, brazing, soldering or torch work makes sparks, flame and heat that can start a fire. A watch covers the work and a period after it.
- A system out of service. When the sprinklers or the fire alarm are shut down for repair, or have failed, the building loses its automatic early warning and suppression. A watch covers the affected area until the system is back.
- When the code or the fire marshal says so. Fire codes and the local authority can require a watch for other reasons, such as a large gathering or a building with a known hazard.
Who sets the rules
The backbone is federal and national: OSHA's hot work rule (29 CFR 1910.252) and NFPA codes such as NFPA 1, NFPA 25 and NFPA 51B. But the final word is your authority having jurisdiction (the AHJ), usually the local fire marshal, plus your employer's post orders. Thresholds and details vary by city and by which edition of the code was adopted, so always confirm locally.
It is a dedicated job
A fire watch does only the fire watch. The person on watch is not also running a register, fixing the system, or doing the welding. The whole point is undivided attention, so most codes and fire marshals say the watcher can have no other duties.
Key points
- A fire watch is a trained person assigned only to watch for fire and raise the alarm.
- Three common triggers: hot work, a sprinkler or alarm system out of service, or the fire marshal's order.
- OSHA and NFPA set the backbone, but your local fire marshal (the AHJ) and post orders are the final word.
- It is a dedicated job: no other duties while on watch.
Picture it
A manager asks you to cover the front desk during a fire watch. The sprinkler system is down for repair in the east wing.
A fire watch is a dedicated post. Covering the desk at the same time is not a fire watch. Explain that you need to patrol the affected area with no other duties, confirm the route and who to call, and keep someone else on the desk.
Resources
- OSHA: Welding, Cutting, and Brazing (Hot Work)
The federal safety topic page for hot work, with the fire prevention and fire watch requirements for welding and cutting.
- NFPA: Codes and Standards (free online access)
Read NFPA 1 (Fire Code), NFPA 25 (water-based systems, including impairments and fire watch) and NFPA 51B (hot work) free online. These are the codes most fire marshals adopt.