Each year in the United States, hot work results in about 4,000 structure fires, 19 fatalities, 120 injuries, and nearly $300 million in property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Hot work includes all welding and allied processes, heat treating, grinding, thawing pipe, powder-driven fasteners, hot riveting, torch-applied roofing, and similar applications producing or using a spark, flame, or heat.
To reduce the likelihood of a hot work fire at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), the UMB Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) is excited to announce changes to our hot work permitting program. The changes to the permitting process will result in greater oversight by the UMB OFM and will make the requesting process easier for the hot work operator. Effective Feb. 1, all hot work permit requests must be made online at www.umaryland.edu/hotwork.
Once a permit request is submitted online, a member of the UMB OFM will coordinate a site inspection with the requestor. A paper permit will be issued and posted once all site conditions are met.
Permits can be requested at any time, but ideally should be made at least 24 hours in advance of hot work beginning. All paper permits that have already been issued are still valid and do not need to be renewed. All future requests must be submitted online.