18 Apr What You Need To Know About Welding & Cutting

What You Need to Know About Welding & Cutting

Welding and cutting operations can expose workers to intense light and radiation, hazardous fumes and gases, sparks, molten metal, electrical hazards, fire, and explosions. Protecting yourself requires understanding these hazards and using the proper engineering controls, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment.

Eye and Face Protection

Welding arcs and cutting operations produce intense visible light as well as ultraviolet and infrared radiation that can injure the eyes and skin.

• Wear an approved welding helmet, hand shield, or goggles with the proper filter lens shade for the operation being performed.
• Select filter lenses based on the welding or cutting process, electrode size, and arc current.
• Wear safety glasses with side shields or appropriate goggles beneath welding helmets when protection from flying particles or slag is needed.
• Never look directly at a welding arc without appropriate protection, even briefly.
• Protect nearby employees with welding screens, curtains, or barriers.
• Warn nearby workers before striking an arc when necessary.
• Remember that reflected arc radiation can also injure workers who are not directly facing the welding operation.

Do not rely on ordinary sunglasses or untreated lenses for protection from welding radiation.

Welding Fumes and Gases

Welding and cutting can generate hazardous fumes and gases. The contaminants produced depend on the welding process, base metal, filler metal, electrodes, fluxes, coatings, paints, cleaners, and other materials present.

Potential contaminants may include:

• Metal fumes containing chromium, nickel, manganese, lead, cadmium, zinc, or other metals.
• Carbon monoxide.
• Ozone.
• Nitrogen oxides.
• Fluorides and other decomposition products.

Heating surfaces contaminated with certain chlorinated solvents can also produce extremely hazardous decomposition products. Never weld or cut near degreasing operations or where chlorinated solvent vapors may be present.

Ventilation

Adequate ventilation is essential for controlling welding fumes and gases.

• Keep your head out of the welding plume.
• Position yourself so fumes travel away from your breathing zone.
• Use local exhaust ventilation whenever practical to capture contaminants close to their source.
• Mechanical ventilation may be required when welding in enclosed areas, areas with limited natural ventilation, or when certain hazardous metals or coatings are involved.
• Never use oxygen for ventilation, cooling, or blowing dust from clothing.
• Do not assume the atmosphere is safe simply because fumes cannot be seen or smelled.

Confined-space welding requires additional precautions, including atmospheric evaluation, ventilation, entry controls, and other requirements established by the company’s Confined Space Program.

Respiratory Protection

Respiratory protection may be required when engineering and work-practice controls cannot adequately control exposure.

• The appropriate respirator must be selected based on the specific contaminants and expected exposure.
• Review the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the base metal, coatings, welding consumables, and other applicable materials.
• Employees required to wear respirators must comply with the company’s Respiratory Protection Program, including medical evaluation, fit testing, and training.
• Never assume that a disposable dust mask provides adequate protection from welding fumes or gases.
• Some atmospheres may require supplied-air respiratory protection rather than an air-purifying respirator.

Protective Clothing

Protect all exposed areas of the body from sparks, hot slag, molten metal, and welding radiation.

• Wear flame-resistant clothing appropriate for the welding or cutting operation.
• Wear appropriate welding gloves and protective footwear.
• Use leather aprons, jackets, sleeves, leggings, or other protective clothing when additional protection is necessary.
• Keep clothing dry and free from oil, grease, and other combustible contamination.
• Keep collars and cuffs appropriately secured so sparks and hot metal cannot become trapped against the skin.
• Do not carry matches, disposable lighters, or other readily ignitable materials in clothing while performing hot work.

Fire and Explosion Prevention

Before beginning welding or cutting:

• Inspect the work area for combustible and flammable materials.
• Remove combustibles or protect them from sparks, slag, and heat.
• Follow the company’s hot-work permit requirements when applicable.
• Have appropriate fire-extinguishing equipment readily available.
• Provide a fire watch when required.
• Never weld or cut drums, tanks, barrels, piping, or other containers that have contained flammable or combustible substances unless they have been properly prepared and verified safe for hot work.
• Inspect the surrounding area after completing work for sparks, hot slag, or smoldering materials.

Equipment Inspection

Inspect welding and cutting equipment before use.

Check:

• Welding leads and electrode holders.
• Electrical insulation and connections.
• Torches and tips.
• Regulators and gauges.
• Gas hoses and connections.
• Grounding connections.
• Cylinders and valves.
• Required guards and safety devices.

Remove defective equipment from service and report problems to your supervisor. Repairs should be performed only by qualified or authorized personnel.

Remember

Welding and cutting hazards extend beyond the person performing the work. Proper ventilation, shielding, PPE, equipment inspection, fire prevention, and control of the surrounding work area are necessary to protect both the welder and nearby employees.