NFPA 51B – 2019 Updates to Fire Watch and Fire Monitoring Requirements

Many of us in the PSM/RMP arena use NFPA 51B as our Hot Work Safety Standard, rather than 1910.252(a) and with that said I thought I should update us on NFPA’s 2019 edition of 51B which includes several key improvements.  Probably the biggest changes from the 2014 edition are:

1. the term FIRE WATCH is now officially defined,
2. the FIRE WATCH TIME PERIOD after completion of hot work operations has been extended,
3. the new “fire monitoring” requirements which now look a lot like our property conservation insurer requirements
4. the wording around doing HW in areas where fixed suppression systems have been removed from service

In 2014 Edition, the period fire watch time period in 51B matched that which is found in 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(B).  In the 2019 Edition of 51B, the FIRE WATCH TIME PERIOD after completion of hot work operation is now… (emphasis by me)

NOTE 1:  Please don’t forget to do your MOC to update your program, permit, practices, and training related to Hot Work being done in, on and/or adjacent to your covered processes.

NOTE 2: CLICK HERE for FREE access to NFPA 51B-2019