Hot Work on a Bunker Barge

[wompajomp]

A lot of confusion where I work about what constitutes hot work and whether or not you can perform such work on a red flag barge that has not been certified gas free by a marine chemist.
The barge is a bunker barge loaded with diesel and lube oil. The hot work is chipping with pneumatic chipping guns and buffing with electric angle grinders with wire wheels.
I personally believe this would be considered hot work and would be against the regs, policies, and procedures.

Anyone have an opinion?

[Capt. Phoenix]

Since both those actions throw sparks they are explosion hazards. Whether they are classified "hot work" or not I can't say though.

[TheMate]

OSHA defines it as "riveting, welding, cutting, grinding or any flame or spark producing operation". Chipping can be done if you use the sparkles tools.

[Marine engineer]

The oil tanker I work on classifieds that as hot work. Not sure if its company policy or regs. However we would not use electric tools on deck unless certified gas free.

[SeaSick]

I believe you only need marine chemist cert. while in port? At sea the C/M always inspects tanks prior to hot work. It's been a long time since I was on a tanker so I can't remember if the boys chipped while underway.

[follow40]

The crew cooked a barbecue on the bridge wing of a fully laden LNG carrier I was on once... Not sure if that counts as hot work..

[Marine engineer]

The crew cooked a barbecue on the bridge wing of a fully laden LNG carrier I was on once... Not sure if that counts as hot work..

Actually I have a few buddies over at Seariver who would BBQ. It was considered hot work and they would file the appropriate hot work permit. It was the only time they were allowed to smoke cigars on deck as well

[follow40]

Actually I have a few buddies over at Seariver who would BBQ. It was considered hot work and they would file the appropriate hot work permit. It was the only time they were allowed to smoke cigars on deck as well

Yeah I'm sure if you filed the right hot work permit it would be ok. But if we ignited a gas leak it probably would be the equivalent of 10 Hiroshima's and we would be vaporised instantaneously... but hey what beats a good BBQ!

[lemurian]

Hot work refers to jobs like soldering, welding, torch cutting, etc. However, when flammable materials are around, even "cold spark" jobs like needle scaling or grinding are considered hot work.

[Tugs]

Gee, when I read the title of this thread I thought it was about the old days of the Dragon Lady (Standard Tank Cleaning in Bayonne, N.J.). This type of thing happened every day or should I say every night at that place. Trust me I worked for her in the early 80's and am still afraid to tell too many stories as the statue of limitations may not be up yet. LOL

[cmakin]

Gee, when I read the title of this thread I thought it was about the old days of the Dragon Lady (Standard Tank Cleaning in Bayonne, N.J.). This type of thing happened every day or should I say every night at that place. Trust me I worked for her in the early 80's and am still afraid to tell too many stories as the statue of limitations may not be up yet. LOL

The Dragon Lady. Man, I haven't heard of her in years.

[Tugs]

The Dragon Lady. Man, I haven't heard of her in years.

IIRC, she did some Federal Time. I have some stories about that place. I was around that place a lot in the 70's and 80's so boy do I have a lot of stories, not that many, that did not know of the Dragon Lady, would believe them. LOL

It might make for an interesting thread though.

[Bouchard Captain]

Chipping and grinding on a petroleum laden barge is a taboo subject on most ships and barges etc..
according to the U.S.C.G & ISGOTT you must be certified gas free by a chemist to perform any "hot work",
however on every ship, and every barge I have been on chipping is being done on a daily basis..
If you push the issue with your employer and decided not to chip.. you may become unemployed...
chipping and grinding is not hot work... also they do make anti-sparking chipping/needle guns ..

Regards...

[tillettso]

Gee, when I read the title of this thread I thought it was about the old days of the Dragon Lady (Standard Tank Cleaning in Bayonne, N.J.). This type of thing happened every day or should I say every night at that place. Trust me I worked for her in the early 80's and am still afraid to tell too many stories as the statue of limitations may not be up yet. LOL

My grandfather worked for her. Man the stories he told about her and that company.

Sent from my PiratePhone using gCaptain

[highseasharry]

OSHA defines it as "riveting, welding, cutting, grinding or any flame or spark producing operation". Chipping can be done if you use the sparkles tools.

The sparkles tools? Are those the tools that make a bunker barge sparkle?