Fire Watch Guard Equipment

OSHA Fire Watch Guard Equipment List

OSHA 1910.252 does not ask for much, it asks for exactly the right much. A guard who shows up with a rusty extinguisher and a dead flashlight is a compliance accident waiting to happen. The following list is pulled straight from citation case files and passed by dozens of inspectors from coast to coast.

Personal Protection First

Hard hat with reverse ratchet, safety glasses with side shields, high-vis vest marked “Fire Watch” on front and back, leather gloves and steel toe boots. Cotton or FR long sleeves are mandatory within 35 feet of hot work. Synthetic gym shirts melt, cotton smolders, FR fabric chars and buys escape time.

Add a N95 dust mask for cutting concrete or removing old insulation. The mask keeps silica out of lungs and keeps the guard conscious enough to actually watch the fire.

Fire Extinguisher Math

One 2A:10BC extinguisher per 3,000 sq ft of hot work area. If the job spans two floors, carry one unit per floor. The guard should sling the extinguisher on a shoulder strap, not leave it leaning against a wall 40 feet away.

Check the gauge before shift, pull the pin and give a one second test burst. A seized valve discovered at 2 a.m. is useless. Record the test time in the patrol log so the inspector sees proactive maintenance.

Lighting and Communication

Flashlight with at least 250 lumens and a strobe mode for crowd signaling. Headlamp keeps hands free while writing logs. Spare batteries live in a warm pocket, not in the truck down the block.

Two-way radio set to the facility security channel plus a backup cell phone with the fire department direct number pre programmed. Bluetooth earpiece is fine, but keep one ear open to hear crackling.

Quick OSHA Checklist

• Hard hat, safety glasses, high-vis vest, FR sleeves
• 2A:10BC extinguisher, shoulder strap, daily pin test
• 250 lumen flashlight, spare batteries, headlamp backup
• IR thermometer gun, personal gas monitor, photo capable phone
• Waterproof clipboard, black ink pens, duplicate forms
• Orange whistle, hydration pack, sunscreen for outdoor shifts

Thermal and Detection Tools

Infrared thermometer gun, minimum temperature range minus 20 to 500°F. Use it on deck plates, wall surfaces and trash bins every round. Any reading 30°F above ambient gets a second scan five minutes later.

Personal gas monitor for oxygen and LEL if hot work happens near confined spaces. Hot slag plus unseen propane leak equals instant flash.

Documentation Kit

Waterproof clipboard, black ink pens that write in cold, and duplicate carbon copy forms. Digital backup on a rugged tablet rated for drops. A photo is worth a thousand words when the adjuster shows up.

Include a small measuring wheel to confirm 35 foot clearances. If the welder inches closer to a propane cage, you have exact footage to shut him down.

Comfort and Safety Extras

Sunscreen and a wide brim hard hat insert for outdoor summer jobs. Hydration pack so the guard does not leave post to hunt water. A 10 foot personal fall arrest lanyard if patrol routes near leading edges.

Finally, a bright orange whistle. Voice fails after three hours of concrete cutting dust; a whistle still screams.

Need a ready made equipment bundle shipped to your site? Contact us and we will overnight every item on the list, already inspected, tagged and sealed for the next OSHA visit.