What Do Fire & Hole Watchers Do?

Fire and hole watch personnel are mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in
Section 1910.252 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Part of a welding team, workers on fire watch ensure
no soldering fires result from cutting or welding metal. Workers on hole watch ensure the safety of the
person working in a confined space. Both are an essential part of construction and industrial maintenance
safety programs.
Primary Duty
The primary duty for personnel on both fire watch or hole watch is to sound the alarm in case of an
emergency. Although the fire watch is watching for sparks after a welder or burner finishes cutting or
welding metal, their primary duty is to give the alarm, so fire-fighters can be brought into play. Hole
watchers aren't supposed to try and enter the confined space to perform a rescue; they sound the alarm so
rescue professionals can attend to the matter.
Fire Watch
Fire watch personnel maintain surveillance of areas where hot work -- welding or cutting with torches --
has occurred. Welding and cutting both cause sparks and bits of molten metal to fly into the surrounding
area. The fire watch maintains a lookout for small fires started by these sparks and bits of slag. Should a
fire begin to develop or occur, they execute their primary duty of sounding the alarm and, if possible,
attempt to control the fire.
Hole Watch\
Hole watch is part of the work associated with confined space work, such as work inside storage tanks or
tight spaces between two bulkheads. The team member on hole watch maintains communication with the
personnel in the confined space, or hole. In case of an emergency, the worker on hole watch maintains
situational awareness and raises the alarm about the emergency. For example, if weather conditions
deteriorate and pose a hazard, the worker on hole watch can advise personnel in the hole and assist them in
leaving the confined space.
Background
Personnel involved in hole watch duties are entrusted with the safety of those who enter confined spaces.
They must understand the hazards associated with confined space entry, be able to communicate
effectively, recognize aberrant behaviours in the personnel in the confined space that may result from the
hazards associated with the space and act appropriately in an emergency. Fire watch personnel have a basic
understanding of fire and fire fighting issues. They understand that the primary duty is to sound the alarm
and, if possible, control the fire thereafter.