Welding Workshop Fire Incident

Background A fabrication workshop was performing arc welding repairs on a metal frame inside a shared workspace. Incident Sparks from welding ignited nearby oily rags and cardboard packaging. The fire spread quickly before workers controlled it with a fire extinguisher. Safety Violations Poor housekeeping. Flammable materials stored near hot work area. No fire watch assigned. Inadequate risk assessment before hot work. Root Causes Lack of hot work permit system. Improper material storage. Insufficient fire safety training. Corrective Actions Implement hot work permit system. Maintain a 10-meter spark-free zone. Store flammable materials in approved containers. Train staff in extinguisher use (PASS method). Lessons Learned Good housekeeping and hot work control systems prevent most workshop fires.