Welding Safety: Management & Precautions

• Safety is paramount in welding and cutting work, with no job truly complete if someone is injured.

Introduction

• Welding inspectors face similar safety hazards as welders, including electric shock, radiation, and flying debris.
• Welding inspectors must observe all safety precautions and use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Hazards and practices to reduce injury and damage are further detailed in ANSI Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes.

Management Support

• Effective safety programs require strong leadership, clear objectives, and consistent enforcement of safe practices.
• Management must designate safe welding areas and ensure proper procedures are followed in undesignated areas.
• Management ensures approved welding equipment is used, including torches, regulators, and personal protection.
• Thorough training is a key to safety, mandated by OSHA, detailed in 29 CFR 1910.1200 (Hazard Communication).
• Training must instruct on equipment operation, safety guidelines, and consequences of not adhering to them.
• Welders must be trained to avoid the fume plume produced during welding and cutting.
• Users must read and understand the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and manufacturer's recommendations before work.
• AWS specifications often require precautionary labels with safety information.
• Manufacturers must provide SDSs for welding consumables identifying hazardous materials.
• SDSs include OSHA permissible exposure limits (Threshold Limit Value - TLV).
• Employers must provide hazardous material training according to OSHA regulations.
• Training includes making SDSs available and teaching employees to understand the contents.
• SDSs list ingredients, chemical composition of fumes, potential hazards, and risk reduction methods.
• Personnel safety training covers inspecting equipment and evaluating fitness for use.
• Personnel should know not to use defective cables or hoses.
• Personnel must be trained to recognize safety hazards in unfamiliar situations and receive briefings.
• Proper use and consequences of improper use of equipment must be explained.
• Employees should clarify unclear or inadequate safety precautions with supervisors.

Protection of the Work Area

• Good housekeeping is essential to avoid injuries.

• Welders and passersby are vulnerable to tripping hazards due to restricted vision from eye protection.

• Designated welding areas are ideal, keeping walkways clear of hoses, cables, and equipment.

• Safety rails/lines prevent falls when working above ground level due to restricted vision.

• Safety lines and harnesses can restrict workers to safe areas and restrain them during a fall.

• Clear escape routes are necessary in case of fires, explosions, or fume releases.

• Employees must be trained in evacuation procedures.

• Storage in evacuation routes should be avoided; alternate routes require training.

• Warning signs should identify welding areas and state that eye protection is required.

• Areas next to welding must be shielded from radiant energy and spatter with eye/face protection, clothing, and screens/shields.

• Screens/shields can be opaque or radiation-protective and semi-transparent.

• Workstations should be separated by noncombustible screens or shields allowing air circulation.

• Painted walls should have finishes containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide for low reflectivity of UV radiation.

• Powdered/flaked metal pigments are not recommended due to UV radiation reflection.

• High temperature heat and open flames/electric arcs are ready sources of ignition.

• Sparks start many fires and can travel up to 35 ft.

• Potential fire hazards in small openings in floors and walls must be monitored via a fire watch.

• Combustibles increase fire risk.

• Combustibles should always be removed/shielded.

• Common combustibles include floors, roofs, partitions, trash, wood, paper, textiles, plastics, chemicals, flammable liquids, and gases.

• Dry grass and brush are common combustibles outdoors so dedicate welding areas for noncombustible enclosures.

• Don't perform welding on combustible floors, platforms, coatings, or internal structures.

• Fuels used for welding must be stored and used with care, following equipment instructions.

• Flammable gases like acetylene and propane need careful handling due to their combustible vapors.

• Gas cylinders, hoses, and apparatus require attention to prevent gas leakage.

• Non-removable combustibles should be covered with tight-fitting, flame-resistant material.

• Floors should be clear of combustibles within a 35 ft radius.

• Doorways, windows, cracks, and openings require flame-resistant coverage.

• Work areas should be enclosed with portable flame-resistant screens if possible.

• Combustibles on the other side of metal walls must be moved when welding or cutting.

• Welding heat can conduct through metal partitions and ignite combustibles requiring a fire watch.

• Thorough examination for fire evidence is needed before leaving and continued for 30 minutes.

• Hot scrap or slag must not placed in containers holding combustible materials.

• Nearby fire extinguishers with trained operators are essential.

• A hot work permit system is used for welding/cutting in non-designated areas.

• The hot work permit system alerts area supervisors to fire risk via a safety precaution checklist.

• Hot work permit checklists often include fire extinguisher inspection, flammable material search, area safety instructions, and designated fire watcher information.

• Welding inspectors should adhere to requirements of issued permits.

• Flammable gases, vapors, and dust with air/oxygen cause explosions and fires, so keep them in leaktight containers or remove them.

• Heat or sparks can cause low-volatility materials to produce flammable vapors.

• All ignition sources should be avoided to prevent explosions.

• Welders and inspectors must be aware of flammable liquid vapors, which travel far along floors/depressions (heavy) or along ceilings/adjacent rooms (light).

• Containers require venting before and during heating.

• Never apply heat to unmarked containers without addressing potential hazards.

• Containers must be filled with an inert gas or thoroughly cleaned.

• Employees must have eye and body protection if operations pose explosion risks.

• Burns to eyes or body are serious hazards, so eye, face, and body protection is necessary.

Eye and Face Protection

• Welders and personnel must use welding helmets/handshields with filter lenses and a cover plate.
• Filter lens shade must follow Lens Shade Selector, ANSI/AWS F2.2.
• Safety glasses/goggles are required for cutting operations.
• ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 provides standards for helmets, handshields, face shields, goggles, and safety glasses.
• Eye protection must have side shields when there is danger of UV rays or flying particle exposure.
• Lens shading depends on radiation intensity during welding/cutting viewed peripherally.
• Safety goggles must be worn with filter plates and full conforming side shields for oxyfuel gas welding/cutting.
• Helmets are unnecessary during submerged arc welding because the arc is covered by flux but shaded safety glasses are required incase of flashes.
• Safety glasses with side shields and appropriate filter shading are recommended for torch brazing and soldering due to bright yellow flame.
• Operators in other brazing processes and resistance welding need eye/face protection against spatter.

Protective Clothing

• Sturdy boots and heavy clothing prevent sparks, spatter, and radiation burns.
• Wool is preferred over cotton because it ignites less easily; cotton should be chemically treated.
• Clothing treated with nondurable flame retardants must be retreated after washing.
• Plastic/synthetic clothes can melt and cause burns; outer clothes must be kept free of oil/grease.
• Cuffless pants and covered pockets prevent spatter/spark entrapment; pockets must be emptied of flammable material.
• Welding caps protect hair and scalp.
• Flammable hair grooming products should not be used.
• Leather gloves protect hands from burns, abrasions, and electrical shock.
• Aprons, leggings, suits, capes, sleeves, and caps are also available for specific operations.
• Flame-resistant ear plugs should be worn whenever operations pose risks from sparks or spatter.

Noise

• High noise levels can cause hearing damage.

• OSHA has noise exposure regulations in OSHA Regulations 29 CFR 1910.95.

• Welding and cutting operations can produce noise, requiring hearing protection.

• Air carbon arc cutting (CAC-A) and plasma arc cutting (PAC) have very high noise levels.

• Engine generators and certain welding power sources are very loud.

Machinery Guards

• Workers should be shielded from machinery injuries through guards on moving components and drive belts.

• Visibility is restricted by helmets and filter plates, so welders are susceptible to injury from unguarded machinery.

• The machinery power must be disconnected/locked/tagged/tried before welding repairs.

• Workers must understand hazards of equipment with removed safety devices.

• Safety devices must be replaced after repair.

• Rotating/automatic welding machines, fixtures, and robots need guards or sensing devices.

• Pinch points on welding and mechanical equipment cause injuries.

• Resistance welding equip. robots, auto arc welding machine jigs, and fixtures have pinch points.

• Hand should be kept away from pinch points or the pinch points must be guarded mechanically.

• Metalworking equipment shouldn't be placed such that a welder could accidently fall into it.

• Pinch points should be blocked during equipment maintenance.

• A trained standby should prevent power from turning on during hazardous situations.

Fumes and Gases

• Welders and others must be protected from overexposure to fumes and gases.
• OSHA Regulations 29 CFR 1910.1000 (Air contaminants) covers this topic, and ACGIH lists guidelines in Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents in the Workroom Environment.
• Individuals may have unusual sensitivity and require stringent protection.
• Arc welding creates more fumes/gases than oxyfuel gas welding due to higher materials.
• Excess exposure is addressed through adequate ventilation or respiratory protection.
• Factors that reduce fume exposure include welder head position, ventilation, work area size, background fume levels, helmet design, base metal, and surface condition.
• Position of the welder's head position is important because exposure is high when the head is in a position where fumes envelop the face so welders must offset their head.
• Ventilation controls fume presence, needing adequate ventilation to stay within safe limits.
• Ventilation includes local extraction or general air change/filtering.
• Ventilation depends on welding process, material, and shop conditions.
• Dimensions of welding/cutting enclosures determine fume concentration; confined spaces have higher exposure than open areas.
• Background fume levels depend on the number/type of welding stations and power source duty cycle.
• Welding helmet design affects fume exposure, effective with close-fitting under-chin helmets.
• Base metal influences fume components and amount; surface contaminants increase hazard, such as lead/cadmium paints and galvanized materials which can generate zinc fumes.

Ventilation

• Fumes generated during welding/cutting consist of small particles suspended in the atmosphere, so area's concentration builds.
• Particles settle slower.
• Fume concentration is controlled by ventilation with natural, mechanical, or respirator ventilation.
• Ventilation ensures concentrations are below recommended.
• Methods range from natural drafts to air-ventilated helmets.
• Natural
• General area mechanical ventilation
• Overhead exhaust hoods
• Portable local exhaust devices
• Downdraft tables
• Crossdraft tables
• Extractors built into welding equipment
• Air-ventilated helmets

Welding in Confined Spaces

• Special consideration is required for safety and health in confined spaces (see ANSI Z117.1).

• Gas cylinders and welding sources must be located outside to avoid gas and electric shock dangers in confined spaces.

• 12 V lighting is needed inside work area or 110 V with approved ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is required.

• Confined spaces can only be entered and are well ventilated if the operator is wearing a breathing support and is well trained.

• If there is no equipment the space is only entered with a standby person with a rescue procedure stationed outside.

• Standby personnel must not enter without breathing support.

• There needs to be a means for quick removal of a person for the case of an emergency that involves safety belts and a life line.

• Ventilation in confined spaces must prevent flammable mixtures and provide an O2 level in the correct range to support life.

• Gas must contain 19.5 - 23.5% O2.

• Breathing air below that is asphyxiation and causes oxygen deprivation, unconsciousness, organ damage and death.

• Overly enriched O2 results in cell damage, organ failure, seizures, and potential death.

• A confined space must be tested for toxic or flammable gasses and vapors tested by NIOHS or MSHA approved instruments.

• Heavy air gases accumulate in puts, tank bottoms, or near floors.

• Light air gasses accumulate at tops of tanks, near ceilings, and other high areas.

• Confined spaces require a continuous monitoring system with an audible system.

• Oxygen rich environments are dangerous because they can cause materials that burn normally to flare up in excessive oxygen.

• Concentrations of 25% or higher cause clothing to burn, oil to catch fire spontaneously, and paper to burst into flames.

• Only clean, breathable air must be used for ventilation and gasses may not be.

• Positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) must be used when welding or cutting.

• Wear SCBAs if proper ventilation can't be provided and there is an immediate danger to life and health.

• SCBAs must have 5min of air in case the main source fails.

Welding of Containers

• Welding on containers that hold dangerous materials presents hazards and flammable/toxic vapors may be present.
• Area must be cleared of obstacles and hazardous materials, while keeping things away from the container to avoid contamination.
• In spaces with dangerous material, one must observe the correct percautions and procedures should vent discharge into the environment.
• There should testing for gases to make sure recommended limits are maintained during welding.
• A alternative to ensuring safe wedding is to fill them with a medium like inert gases or sand.
• When using O2 the level should within inches for welding points while vented above to allow hot air to escape.
• Make sure the contained must be purged when inert gas is used, otherwise a fire or explosion can occur.

Highly Toxic Materials

• Some materials in consumables may have exposure limits of 1.0 mg/m³ or lower (refer to Figure 2.12).
• Consult Safety Data Sheets to confirm the presence of these materials in filler metals and fluxes.
• Filler metals and fluxes are not the only source, also be weary of base metals, coatings, and sources in the work area.
• Radioactive materials need regulations and compliance from regulatory commissions, state, and local regulations.
• When toxic materials are found use special ventilation, precautions, and measures to maintain the atmosphere.
• Ensure all persons present are protected.

Handling Compressed Gases

• Gases are packaged in cylinders designed and maintained in accordance to DOT specifications. The use of other cylinders is both dangerous and illegal.

• Unless the retest is current, cylinders can't be filled and must only be filled with permission set by personal training.

• Filling one cylinder with annother is dangerous by untrained professionals.

• Gas may not be mixed with cylinders or incompatible.

• Welding is not to be performed on gas cylinders.

• Cylinders are not to cause any part of electrical arcing.

• Hoses are not allowed to be stored or lay on gas cylinders to avoid valve operation and arcing.

• Arc-damaged has cylinders may result damage, deaths, and injuries.

• Storage is to be done in accordance and all state along with local regulations.

• Handling is to be followed by the CGA. Cylinders are not to be used as work rest or rollers or be protected by weather from being dropped and cannot be dropped.

• Cylinders are to be in areas where temps do not fall below/exceed -20F/125F. Misuse/abuse has severe consequences.

• Must be secured so the don't fall.

• Acetylene and liquefied gas cylinders must be stored/used upright and secured.

• Cylinders must not be hoisted using ordinary slings/chains or electromagnets and contents verified by labels.

• Protective cylinder caps should always be in place before use, never lift or hoist cylinders by their protection caps.

• Cylinders are often filled to 2000PSI or more unless tools have an approved pressure regulator or manifold.

• Relief or safety must be employed with function that will prevent pressures over working limits if the regulator fails.

• Valve function on particular oxygen cylinder, always should be opened slowly.

• Fully opening the valve can be a potential fire hazard.

• Never stand in valve out and get injured by regulator failure.

• Clean valve outlet and pressure regulator or the manifold before connecting or using the cylinder.

Pressure Relief Devices

• Pressure relief devices are intended to prevent safe limits, that trained personnel has raised on the device.

Regulators

• Pressure reducing regulators are necessary for welding or cutting operations which uses pressure less than the label.

• Incompatible tools should never be used with connection for cylinder and regulator, the use of changing connections with adapters isn't approved.

• Connections should always be checked for dirt/debris and any connections fixed from a trained personnel.

• A flowmeter device should be used which also released from a gas cylinder/manifold.

• Manifolds is when gas is needed without interruption or at higher speed. They must be leakproof and designed for specific types of gas.

• Systems must contain an adequate overpressure relief valve or relief devices can prevent the weakest components.

• Relief devices include value or bursting disc, that cannot be prevented and require sources to release some protective device.

Gases

• Fittings are acetlyene while gases combined and can cause unstable material leading to heat and shock.
• Each gas is to incorporate a backflow check valve and flashback and must be installed from each station. Check valves must be inspected when for correct tightness.

Oxygen

• Supportive gas ignites material easily and all apparatus is to be labeled.
• Always keep clean and never lubricate with oil. If not stated, then the device is to fixed or returned and must always stay connected.
• Pure is always better, never use air tools that are lubricated. Don't blow clothing off in area because of contaminations

Fuel Gases

• Fuel gases can often consist of acetylene which contains a solvent that will safely store under pressure and needs to be above the PSI, break down could result in explosive force.
• Always be opened for possible sources of ignition or confined spaces. When gases are brazing atmosphere, they must be vented to a safe location and filled, the equipment is meant to purge with a nonflammable material and to see any accidental body parts because may be susceptible to exposure.

Preventing Fuel Gas Fires

• A source and spark will cause a leak in the gas, which one must always implement when containing leaks by system and will prevent this by keeping leaks upon inspection.

• Inspect all safety devices and fuel plug when this happens in gas fires with valves, which can be opened at any valve to reach a point .

• This allow the valve to shut off and require less of one turn of the handle. Some fires allow a gas to form and may catch the wire in alarm the cylinder for fires in the are.

• Allow emergency support to deal with any fires near the cylinder device to closing a valve.

• If continue to leak after its contained, moved to safety outdoor fire. If its pored in area, then post a warning sign for anything ignition.

• Large cylinders require the evacuation, and cool down with fire personnel with wet stream kept cool.

• Burning it off vs extinguishing isn't an option unless its an explosive level.

Shielding Gases

• Argon, helium, carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrogen protect the weld and allow brasing atmospheres. All of these are able to replace needed breathing air.
• Spaces are often to enter is well vented, with and oxygen device, and also an air supplied respirator with contains the needed gases. Shield containers cannot always be confined.

Electric Shock

• Injuries and the case for electric shock are needed for following the precautions in cutting and most electric based equipment.
• Employers are to state that the workers allow to safely use electrical equipment that is in writing to the ones is approved and stated in cutting.
• Electric shock follows when the current intensity passes over the body.
• Shock is determined by current, exposer and the bodies current strength is tied with the voltage of the body and how one feels when the level is at that certain point.
• Not use poorly insulate or grounded for voltage is in the most accidents. Therefore welders take care and avoid the primary circuit and the weld itself.
• Electric resistant can cause electrocution for cutting.
• In these the inspection requires prevention shock.
• The hazards are easy reduced and proper clothing is requires or standards.
• If it is done by the company and under condition automatic is a must to have in the safety program.

Connections and Cables

• Should make sure to protect from dirt and moisture after equipment is insulated.
• Check that they are shielding by equipment to be shielded by cables/power lines and protected by personnel for vehicle and cranes.

Grounding

• During electric wiring it require equipment chassis should be a good area or a proper building for placing a frame, for platen wire cable elevators arent to work because high current.
• The lead work wont go it a power source into the work, ground lead is the power device. Care is to be with equipment and the grounding, equipment need too prevent this devices.

Connections and Cables

• Check with safety inspections to keep everything connected.
• Make sure magnets are clear of materials and equipment has insulation to prevent damage.
• Cabled needs insulated cables that are disconnected when doing so.
• Cables must need and run the correctly to avoid the rapid overheating.
• General requires the low voltage.

Operation

• Metal electro can allow the hot metal be touching the skin for safety, equipment needs good keep the holders good.
• Equipment can allow the body be safe for any change or electrodes.
• Electrocutes needs to be safety with any use of equipment is done where accidents are to happen.
• Technology that have medical devices such pace is to know how to avoid accidents, if dont wear device talk too a health professional and doctor about accidents.

Fire Prevention and Protection

• Caused by hot and electrical parts for safety. When also protecting against spark, for machines keep maintained with conditions.
• Shut off be machine to always and be refueled to prevent damage when heat can catch oil/combustion or fire.

Summary

• Certified welding inspectors (CWIs) are exposed to safety hazards similar to welders.
• A CWI must understand the value of PPE and safety guidelines to prevent injury to themselves, welding personnel, and bystanders.
• Hazards include radiation exposure, fume inhalation, electric shock, falls, and burns.