Hot work permits with hold point checklists

Introduction

Hot work carries real risk, and without a system, permits get lost or skipped entirely, leaving work started without proper precautions and no documentation if something goes wrong. As a construction manager, you can use hold point checklists in Dalux to standardize and document hot work permit approval, replacing a verbal okay with a repeatable, digital sign-off process.

The challenge

Hot work is a common process on many construction projects, and it carries real risk, with strict rules attached.

Contractors know hot work carries an ignition risk and take precautions, but do not always consider factors specific to the construction site. Even standardized forms miss project-specific risks if you do not adapt them to the site, leading to oversights that can cause a fire.

Without a system, permits get lost or skipped entirely, slowing work and creating bottlenecks. Work can start without proper precautions, or without considering other contractors on site. 

If something goes wrong, you have no documentation to fall back on.

How Dalux solves it

With hold point checklists in Dalux, you create a standardized hot work permit template for your project.

A subcontractor initiates the request, often after reporting upcoming work in a site or safety meeting. The subcontractor then goes through the hold point checklist, and evaluates each required point before signing.

Depending on your template, the subcontractor can attach the necessary documents or images to the relevant points. You can also add helpful text to each point within the app, so it does not clutter the checklist but still guides the subcontractor to fill it out on their own.

When a subcontractor's request is ready for your review, it appears in your inbox. You can then sign off on who, what, and where hot work is permitted.

This provides a clear record and digital documentation showing that hot work is allowed and planned.

The result

With Dalux you get:

• One platform: Hot work approval happens in Dalux, in the same platform as your tasks, safety, and quality assurance work, replacing paper permits and verbal agreements
• A permit tied to a location: Every hot work permit is tied to a location on your drawings, so you always know exactly where hot work is happening on site
• A time stamped, digital audit trail: Dalux logs who confirmed what, and when, for every point on the checklist, giving you a record to point to if something is questioned afterward

Replace a verbal okay with a repeatable approval process

In Dalux, you build a hold point checklist template once. The template lists the regulations and checks a subcontractor must confirm, or mark as not valid, before submitting a request.

When creating the hot work permit checklist, it is important to customize it for your project. Having one project-specific checklist for all subcontractors forces each subcontractor to evaluate each point, even those they might not have considered relevant. Including a "not applicable" option means multiple subcontractors can work from the same template.

You can also add help text or documents directly to the hold point template. This keeps the checklist free from clutter while offering help to subcontractors who might need more information.

The subcontractor starts the hot work permit process ad hoc during the week or after reporting the work in a safety or site meeting. They confirm each point and specify where, when, and by whom the work will be carried out. This is done using data fields that tie into Dalux locations and metadata.

As the construction manager, you will receive the request in your inbox. Then, you can check to make sure everything is in order and approve or reject the request. The process is automatically dated, logged, and saved digitally in the individual subcontractors' work packages.

This is a basic setup, but you can expand it to include the safety or site manager as an additional approval step. A short workflow makes the process easy to follow for you and the subcontractor.

Build a culture of risk prevention

With hold point checklists, hot work approval moves out of paper and verbal agreements and into Dalux. It is now on the same platform as your tasks, safety, and quality assurance work. Each approval is tied to a location, creating a dated audit trail. This makes accountability a built-in part of the process rather than an added feature.

Hot work approval in Dalux gives you:

• One platform: Hot work approval happens in Dalux, in the same platform as your tasks, safety, and quality assurance work, replacing paper permits and verbal agreements
• A permit tied to a location: Every hot work permit is tied to a location on your drawings, so you always know exactly where hot work is happening on site
• A time stamped, digital audit trail: Dalux logs who confirmed what, and when, for every point on the checklist, giving you a record to point to if something is questioned afterward