1910.252(a)(2)(xiv): Supervisor Duties for Welding and Cutting
The supervisor is responsible for the safe handling of welding or cutting equipment and the process. The supervisor must find combustibles and hazardous areas, move the work or the combustibles or shield them, schedule work to avoid ignition from plant operations, get authorization from management, make sure the welder gets approval before starting, confirm fire protection and extinguishing equipment are in place, and make sure fire watches are available where required.
Key takeaways
- 1910.252(a)(2)(xiv) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart Q).
- OSHA cited it 9 times in the last 3 years, in 7 inspections, with $46,394 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Related part: 1910.252(a) Fire prevention and protection (192 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(xiv) ("Supervisor") is one requirement inside 1910.252 General requirements, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart Q). It includes 7 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(xiv) Supervisor. The Supervisor: 9 citations
(A) Shall be responsible for the safe handling of the cutting or welding equipment and the safe use of the cutting or welding process. Open (a)(2)(xiv)(a) 3 citations
(B) Shall determine the combustible materials and hazardous areas present or likely to be present in the work location. 4 citations
(C) Shall protect combustibles from ignition by the following: 2 citations
(1) Have the work moved to a location free from dangerous combustibles.
(2) If the work cannot be moved, have the combustibles moved to a safe distance from the work or have the combustibles properly shielded against ignition.
(3) See that cutting and welding are so scheduled that plant operations that might expose combustibles to ignition are not started during cutting or welding.
(D) Shall secure authorization for the cutting or welding operations from the designated management representative.
(E) Shall determine that the cutter or welder secures his approval that conditions are safe before going ahead.
(F) Shall determine that fire protection and extinguishing equipment are properly located at the site.
(G) Where fire watches are required, he shall see that they are available at the site.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.252.
Injuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.252(a)(2)(xiv).
At 2:45 p.m. on May 31, 2024, Employee #1 was performing welding work on a diesel fuel tank. During the welding process, an explosion occurred, resulting in the employee's fatal injuries. The explosion was caused by overpressure inside the tank, which caused metal parts to…
Where and how often it was cited
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.252(a)(2)(xiv), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.252(a)(2)(xiv).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.252(a) Fire prevention and protection 192 citations
- 1910.252(a)(2) Special precautions 138 citations
- 1910.252(a)(3) Welding or cutting containers 40 citations
- 1910.252(a)(3)(i) Used containers 33 citations
- 1910.252(a)(2)(vii) Relocation of combustibles 28 citations
- 1910.252(a)(2)(xiii) Management 28 citations
- 1910.252(a)(2)(vi) Prohibited areas 20 citations
- 1910.252(a)(2)(vi)(C) 19 citations
- 1910.252(a)(2)(xiii)(C) 16 citations
- 1910.252(a)(1) Basic precautions 14 citations
- 1910.252(a)(2)(iii) Fire watch 13 citations
- 1910.252(a)(2)(iv) Authorization 13 citations
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Frequently asked questions
What must the supervisor do about combustibles?
Move the work away from them, or if that is not possible, move them to a safe distance or shield them against ignition.
Who authorizes hot work?
The supervisor must secure authorization from the designated management representative.
Must the welder get approval before starting?
Yes. The supervisor determines that the cutter or welder secures approval that conditions are safe before going ahead.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.252 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-21
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.