FM Global has been tracking commercial property losses for over 200 years. Their position on hot work permits is unambiguous: they're critical. So critical that FM Global built their own Hot Work Permit App. But when you look at what the app actually does, it captures signatures and permit data — the same information a paper form captures. The question it still can't answer: was the fire watch actually maintained?
What FM Global Says
FM Global states that hot work permits are critical to planning, performing, controlling, and monitoring temporary hot work. Their loss-prevention guidance emphasizes isolating combustibles, confining ignition sources, maintaining fire protection systems, and supervising the area during and after work.
The Gap in Their Own Solution
FM Global built a Hot Work Permit App — but it's a digital version of their paper form. It captures permit data and signatures but has no GPS verification, no timed check-ins, and no real-time monitoring. It answers "was a permit issued?" but not "was a fire watch actually maintained?"
Permits vs. Verification
A permit authorizes work. Verification proves the safety requirements were followed. The industry has digitized the permit — but the enforcement layer that proves compliance during and after work is still stuck on paper. That's the gap that GPS-verified, time-stamped check-in systems are built to close.
Source: FM Global