In February 2018, a serious fire developed on a building demolition site when plastic mesh screening ignited whilst hot work was being undertaken. The demolition work involved the cutting of a metal beam using an oxy acetylene torch. The fire engulfed the site and approximately 20 people were treated on site for smoke inhalation.

The incident demonstrates one of the hazards associated with hot work, a fire caused by heat, sparks, molten metal or direct contact with the flame. Others include:

• Explosion when cutting up, repairing or working on or in the vicinity of drums, tanks, pipes or vessels which contain or have contained flammable liquids, gases or materials
• Fire/explosion caused by a gas leak, or flammable liquids or materials backfire or flashback
• Burns from contact with the flame, sparks, molten metal or hot metal crush or impact injuries resulting from an explosion
• Exposure to toxic fumes
• Depletion of oxygen levels in the atmosphere causing suffocation