Governing Regulations
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor, is charged with the enforcement of safety and health conditions of workers through the use of regulations published in the Code of Federal Regulations. OSHA regulations are published in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Part 1910 covers general industry regulations. The following OSHA regulations are applicable to hot work:
- 29 CFR 1910 Subpart Q - Welding, Cutting, and Brazing
- 29 CFR 1910.1026 - Chromium (VI)
- 1910 Subpart I, Appendix B - Non-mandatory compliance guidelines for hazard assessment and personal protective equipment selection
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a US-based trade association that creates and maintains private, copyrighted standards and codes for usage and implementation by local municipalities. Parts of NFPA 51B: Standard for Fire Prevention during Welding, Cutting, and other Hot Work have been incorporated into OSHA regulations through reference. According to OSHA, the standards of agencies of the U.S. Government, and organizations which are not agencies of the United States Government, such as NFPA, have the same force and effect as other standards in 29 CFR 1910.