Welding Safety Best Practices

Welders must be protected from electric shock, welding fumes, fire, and injuries that can be
caused by insufficient PPE.

By Jerry Laws
Apr 01, 2017

If the president and Congress do agree this year to fund a big federal infrastructure program, it
stands to reason that the boost in construction spending puts a spotlight on the safety of the
builders and welders who would be at work on the front lines. They'd be facing some of the same
occupational hazardsexcessive noise, work at heights and in confined spaces, respiratory
hazards, and more.

There are many key protections welders require, starting with eye protection, as called for by
OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.252, the welding, cutting, and brazing standard. This standard's section
(b)(2) specifies eye protection that must be provided.
The standard refers to a specific eye protection OSHA standard, 1910.133, which contains charts
listing the minimal shade numbers needed for protecting welders' vision during various types of
welding, and also says welders' lenses must comply with the ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 standard, the
American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection
Devices. The standard's current version is a 2015 edition, and its available for purchase at
www.safetyequipment.org.

There are several hazards central to welding that must be accounted for in welders' training,
equipment, and set-up for a job. These include electric shock, welding fumes, fire, and injuries
that can be caused by wearing PPE that is not sufficient to protect against the level of hazard
encountered during the task. Most welding equipment has a voltage that presents a risk of
electric shock. "The most common type of electric shock is secondary voltage shock from an arc
welding circuit, which ranges from 20 to 100 volts. Bear in mind that even a shock of 50 volts or
less can be enough to injure or kill an operator, depending on the conditions," an article OH&S
published three years ago pointed out.

Exposure to welding fumes and gases is a primary hazard. Welders must be acquainted with
safety data sheets for the welding consumable products they are using, as well as the use of
ventilation to ensure exposures are minimized. Permissible exposure limits come into play here,
limits established by OSHA and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial
Hygienists. Welders rely on respiratory protection, ventilation, and a variety of products for fume
extraction.

https://ohsonline.com/articles/2017/04/01/welding-safety-best-
practices.aspx?admgarea=ht.FireSafety
Summary

There are several hazards central to welding that must be accounted for in welders'
training, equipment, and set-up for a job. These include electric shock, welding fumes, fire, and
injuries that can be caused by wearing PPE that is not sufficient to protect against the level of
hazard encountered during the task. Welders must be acquainted with safety data sheets for the
welding consumable products they are using, as well as the use of ventilation to ensure exposures
are minimized. Welders rely on respiratory protection, ventilation, and a variety of products for
fume extraction.

My Opinion

I agree about this article. The article explain about how the importance of
wearing PPE.