Safety And Health of Welders Don't Forget It

Welding and Cutting can be a very dangerous occupation or past time. With this said, I intend to give you some of my professional advice, and a special heart-felt plea! Please! before starting any kind of welding or cutting operation, you are responsible for your safety and also the safety of others in the vicinity of the operation. So, what should you do first in order to maintain safety? First things first, make sure your welding equipment is installed properly according to the National Electrical Code and any state and local codes that apply. Make sure its grounded properly and in good working condition.

Next, you must dress for success. Un-like some of the popular cable shows, you should always wear protective clothing suitable for the welding to be done. Never weld, grind, or cut without proper safety glasses that are approved by ANSI Z49.1 , even under your hood while welding. You only get 1 pair of eyes, so its especially important to take care of them.

Now, before doing any welding, what is the first thing you should do? Answer: Always search out the area at least 35 ft. looking for flammable, volatile, or explosive materials. Make sure the work area is clean and free of hazards. If it is necessary to splice lengths of welding cable together, make sure all electrical connections are tight  and insulated. Do not use cables with frayed, cracked or bare spots in the insulation. Wire stubs on the floor are safety hazards. Therefore, always dispose of electrode stubs in proper containers.

When welding, keep your head out of the fumes. Use mechanical exhaust at the point of welding whenever welding brass, bronze, lead, cadmium, chromium, manganese, zinc, or galvanized steel. When the electrode holder or torch is not in use hang it up on brackets. Never let it touch a compressed gas cylinder.

Speaking of compressed gas cylinders, always handle them with extreme care. keep caps on when not in use. Make sure compressed gas cylinders are always secured to the wall or to other structural supports. When transporting compressed gas cylinders they should always be in the vertical position and secured, not lying down horizontal in the back of a pick up truck. When a compressed gas cylinder is empty, close the valve and mark the cylinder "EMPTY".

Obviously there are a lot of hazards when welding. Confined spaces are especially dangerous, so take special precautions, have someone ready to pull you out if you get overcome. Do not weld on containers that have held combustibles without taking special precautions. Do not weld on sealed containers or compartments without providing vents and taking special precautions. Never weld around degreasing operations.

When your working above ground, make sure that scaffold, ladder, or work surface is solid and properly secured. If you are working in high places without railings, always use a safety belt or lifeline.

Another concern is electricity and water in the same area is a potential hazard. When using water-cooled equipment, always check for leakage. If you are welding in a damp or wet area, wear rubber boots and stand on a platform. Make sure you always read and understand all applicable Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) that may be used in any welding application. Make sure you use the appropriate shade lens in your welding helmet with a clear lens on the outside to protect the shaded lens. The American Welding Society has a number system for lenses that's based on the amount of amperage you are welding with. The higher the amperage the higher the number, for instance, 8,9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, etc. An 8 or 9 lens would be a lot lighter than a 12. Make sure to have your eyes checked at least once a year and if you need prescription glasses, wear them. Arc burn is no fun so make sure your eyes are protected and all skin is covered up. It only takes about 15 - 20 minutes from an arc that is approximately 10,000 degrees F , on exposed skin, to produce a severe burn.

So always be careful. It's important to remember to shield others from the light rays produced by the welding arc. People who are not use to being around welding do not understand that staring at the arc with unprotected eyes can hurt them, they tend to be fascinated by the extremely bright light associated with welding. Always follow lockout/tagout procedures and if your on the job and you have a supervisor notify him immediately of any problems or potential hazards.

These are some of the life threatening situations you may encounter as a welder, so always, always, be educated and prepared. If you add welding into an industrial or manufacturing type  setting, now it becomes even more dangerous and there are even more hazards to consider. So, as you all can see welding is dangerous, but, if you follow the rules, you should have a safe and enjoyable career or hobby.

Jennifer Jenkins