The second most important cause of fire during construction operations is the use of open flame cutting, welding, and soldering equipment. Cutting and welding in existing buildings should be conducted with adequate supervision, fire watches, and emergency fire protection apparatus to assure that sparks or drops of hot metal do not start fires. Cutting and welding should be controlled by requiring a new permit each day, issued by the general contractor or construction manager, for each location where cutting or welding is to occur. A permit should not be issued until the following conditions are satisfied:
1. It has been determined that cutting and welding can be safely conducted at the desired location;
2. Combustibles have been moved away or safely covered;
3. Fire watchmen with extinguishers are posted for the duration of the work and for 30 minutes after work completion; and
4. Cutting and welding operations cease 2 hours prior to the close of construction each day to minimize the risk of undetected smoldering fire.

Permits and the inspection and maintenance of fire protection systems should be managed by a fire protection manager employed by the contractor or construction manager. (For small projects, the construction foreman may fill this role.) In addition to issuing and logging-in the cutting and welding permits, the fire protection manager should routinely inspect cutting and welding locations, all temporary heating equipment in operation, existing fire protection systems and exits, and first aid fire fighting equipment.("First aid'' fire fighting equipment refers to fire extinguishers and available water sources available at the job site for providing the "first aid'' in fighting a fire). At the end of each work shift, the fire protection manager should file a written report with the construction manager or contractor and the owner. Any violations or unsafe conditions relating to fire protection should be immediately reported to the construction project manager for action, including halting unsafe operations, improving fire protection measures, and notification of the owner.

A fire watchman reporting to the fire protection manager should be stationed at each cutting or welding location. The fire watchman's responsibilities include watching the work area for falling sparks and molten meal; covering combustible materials with fire blankets and mainlining such protection; and inspecting and maintaining first aid fire fighting equipment. For smaller projects, the construction fireman or other designated people should be assigned the responsibility of inspecting of each cutting and welding location frequently during the day (see figure 2).

The extent of first-aid fire fighting equipment is dependent on the size and type of building and scope of project work. At a minimum, even for restoration work in a small house museum, one or two ABC-type fire extinguishers should be placed in plain sight on each floor of the building where work is taking place. The available water supply should be located and clearly marked, maintained, and provisions made for its ready use.

Figure 2. Because of the fire risks, open flame cutting and welding deserves careful attention both in the preparation of specifications and during the work.. As much welding as possible should be done offsite. For example, at the Nightingale Brown House, several large trusses were assembled offsite, then carefully hoisted through a window for installation. Photo: Irving B. Haynes and Associates.

For all rehabilitation projects, the provision and/or maintenance of exits is of critical importance, both for life safety of construction personnel, and for fire fighters' access to work areas. For major rehabilitation projects in large and tall buildings, the handling of exit stairways is of great importance. Existing exit stair towers should be maintained, and construction priority given to the completion of new exit stairways. Where an existing fire door requires replacement, the old door should be removed and the new door and hardware installed immediately. While perhaps not as efficient as removing all doors in one phase and installing all new doors in a second phase, replacement on a one-for- one basis ensures that no more than one fire tower door is out of operation at any time during construction.

Prior to the commencement of any major rehabilitation on the small or large historic property, the owner and construction manager or contractor should meet with the local fire marshal to plan site and building access in the event of fire. The extent of fire department coordination is dependent on the size and location of the project, the significance of the structure, and the type of hazardous operations included in the project scope. Access paths for heavy fire fighting equipment should be laid out and maintained. Free access from the street to fire hydrants and to outside connections for standpipes, sprinklers or other fire extinguishing equipment should be provided and maintained.

The third most common cause of fire during construction is smoking and matches- entirely a construction management issue. Construction specifications for rehabilitation work should always prohibit smoking within the building, and enforcement of the prohibition is a priority responsibility of the contractor or construction manager.

A fourth cause of fire in historic buildings is the use of heating devices to remove paint. Due to the high fire risks, the use of open flame devices to remove paint should be prohibited in the specifications. Special precautions should be delineated when allowing heat plates and especially hot airguns. In addition to the possibility of igniting the wood, there is the even greater risk of ignition of flammable debris commonly found in wall cavities and behind cornices (see Preservation Tech Note Number 18). Where heat devices are permitted, their use should be prohibited from cornice soffits or other similar conditions where friable combustible material may be exposed to heat through cracks and open joints. Additionally, paint removal work should stop at least two hours prior to the site being vacated each evening, to increase chances of early detection of any smoldering fire. The area of the day's work must also be carefully inspected. Construction specifications should also require that temporary fire detection devices be installed in close proximity to the specific work area and that the alarm system be directly monitored.