AS 1674.1, 2025 Edition – Safety in welding and allied processes, Part 1: Fire precautions

AS 1674.1 requirements for the reduction of fire and explosion risks associated with the
performance of welding and other hot work activities in hazardous environments.

These requirements include precautions to be taken before, during, and immediately after the
completion of hot work (including welding and allied processes). Specifically, these precautions
apply to hot work during manufacturing, construction, maintenance, repairs, demolition and where
plant or equipment has contained flammable, combustible or explosive material, and the installation,
repairs and modification of structures, plant, equipment or pipework etc in proximity of flammable or
hazardous materials.

This document covers, but is not limited to, the use of any electric, thermal or mechanical process when
welding, joining, surfacing, cutting, gouging or heating including —
(a) welding;
(b) brazing, including braze welding, flame brazing, etc. (refer to AS 2812);
(c) soldering;
(d) thermal cutting, e.g. flame cutting, plasma cutting, arc cutting, etc.;
(e) thermal gouging, e.g. flame gouging, oxy-lancing, plasma gouging, air-arc gouging, etc.;
(f) thermal spraying;
(g) thermal straightening;
(h) metal preparation including metal cutting, e.g. grinding, gouging, drilling, machining, etc.; and

(i) any other process that produces or utilizes flames, sparks or hot metal capable of initiating a
fire or explosion in a hazardous area.

Although this document primarily applies to hot work in welding and allied processes, it may more
generally be applied to other forms of ignition sources in hazardous areas.

NOTE 1 The joining of materials other than metals (e.g. non-metallic materials) is covered by the scope of
this document.

NOTE 2 Refer to AS 2812 for a variety of welding, brazing, soldering and other hot-work processes.
NOTE 3 Refer to Weld Australia’s Technical Note 7 for general information on safety in welding.
This document does not cover protective clothing or the protection of operators against electric shock,
asphyxiation, poisoning and other hazards.