When practical, objects to be welded, cut, or heated must be moved to a designated safe location or, if the objects to be welded, cut, or heated cannot be readily moved, all movable fire hazards in the vicinity must be taken to a safe place, or otherwise protected.

If the object to be welded, cut, or heated cannot be moved and if all the fire hazards cannot be removed, combustibles must be shielded using flameproof covers, shielded with metal, guards, curtains, or wet down to help prevent ignition of material.

No welding, cutting, or heating is permitted where the application of flammable paints, or the presence of other flammable compounds, or heavy dust concentrations creates a hazard.

Fire extinguishing equipment must be immediately available in the work area and must be maintained in a state of readiness for instant use.

When the welding, cutting, or heating operation is such that normal fire prevention precautions are not sufficient, additional personnel must be assigned to guard against fire while the actual welding, cutting, or heating operation is being performed, and for a sufficient period of time after completion of the work to ensure that no possibility of fire exists. Such personnel will be instructed by the supervisor or delegate as to the specific anticipated fire hazards and how the firefighting equipment provided is to be used.

When welding, cutting, or heating is performed on equipment bodies, cowlings or casings, since direct penetration of sparks or heat transfer may introduce a fire hazard to an adjacent area, the same precautions must be taken on the opposite side as are taken on the side on which the welding is being performed.

All drums, pails, and other containers, which contain or have contained flammable liquids, must be kept closed (except when removing or transferring the contents). Empty containers are to be removed to a safe area apart from hot work operations or open flames.

Before welding, cutting, or heating is begun, all drums, containers, or hollow structures that have contained toxic or flammable substances must either be filled with water or thoroughly cleaned of such substances and ventilated and tested. When welding, cutting and heating on steel pipelines containing natural gas, the pertinent portions of regulations issued by the Department of Transportation, Office of Pipeline Safety, and Minimum Federal Safety Standards for Gas Pipelines, must be followed.

Before heat is applied, a vent opening must be provided for the release of any built-up pressure caused by the applying of heat to any drum, container, or hollow structure.