Safety In Welding

1. Ag Metals 1 Safety In Welding

2. Objectives • Describe the type of protection that should be worn for welding • Describe the proper methods of handling, storing and setting up cylinders • Discuss the proper way to ventilate a welding area • Explain how to avoid electrical shock • Describe how to avoid possible health hazards for welding • Explain how to prevent fires in welding

3. Introduction • Start Safe, Stay Safe! • Safety is YOUR RESPONSABILITY • There is no substitute for caution and common sense! • A safe job is no accident; it takes work to keep the job safe. • Welding has a number of potential hazards and they don’t have to result in injury. • Learning to work safely with hazards is just as important as learning to be a skilled welder.

4. General Work Clothing

5. The Clothing of the Trade

6. Full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

7. Burns • Most common injury • Causes • Ultraviolet light • Contact • 3 classes of burns • 1st Degree • 2nd Degree • 3rd Degree

8. 1st Degree Burns • Surface of the skin is • Reddish in color • Tender • Painful • No broken skin • Treat by • Immediately putting the burned area under cold water (not iced) or apply a cold compress until the pain decreases • Then cover the area with a sterile bandage or clean cloth • DO NOT APPLY butter, any type of grease or other home remedies.

9. 1st Degree Burns

10. 2nd Degree Burns • Skin surface is severly damaged • Blisters • Possible broken skin • Treatment • Put under cold water (not ice) or apply a cold compress until pain decreases • GENTLY pat the area dry with a clean towel and cover the area with a sterile bandage or clean cloth to prevent infection • Seek medical attention • If burns occur in or around the mouth or nose breathing problems may occur • DO NOT apply • Home remedies • Ointments • Sprays • Antiseptics • In Emergency situations • Any cold liquid you drink (tea, water, soda pop, etc) can be poured on the burn to reduce the skin temperture as quickly as possible.

11. 2nd Degree Burns

12. 3rd Degree Burns • Surface of skin and possible the tissue below appears white or charred • Initial little pain • Treatment • DO NOT remove clothes that are stuck to the burn • Do not put ice water or ice on the burn—this can intensify the shock reaction • Do not apply ointments, sprays, antiseptics or home remedies • If the burn is on or around the face, neck or mouth • Ensure the victim is breathing • Place a cold cloth or cool (not iced) water on the burns (this is for feet as well) • Cover the areas with thick, sterile, nonfluffy dressing • Call an ambulance immediately

13. 3rd Degree Burns

14. Burns Caused by Light • 3 types of light • Ultraviolet • Infrared • Visible • Light that causes burns • Ultraviolet • Infrared • Arc welding produces all 3 types of light • Gas welding produced ultraviolet and infrared • Reflected light from the welding process is just as dangerous as the direct light

15. Reducing the Danger of Reflected Light • Paint welding areas flat black • Use welding curtins to absord welding light • NOTE: • USE WELDING CURTAINS AT ALL TIMES TO PROTECT OTHERS WHILE WORKING IN THE SHOP!!!!

16. Ultraviolet Light • Most dangerous • Can cause 1st and 2nd degree burns to the eyes or exposed skin • May be so intense that a welders eyes can receive FLASH BURN in seconds and skin can be burned in minutes • Ultraviolet light can pass through thin, lightly colored, damaged or poorly maintained welding helmets

17. Protecting Yourself Against Ultraviolet Light • Always wear a welding mask that is in good condition • Check for cracks, loose lenses • Wear a shop coat • Wear long pants • NO SHORTS • Wear well fitting, close toed shoes • Leather is best. • NO FLIP FLOPS or open toed shoes of any kind! • Wear leather welding gloves

18. Infrared Light • Light wave that gives off heat • Easily felt • Can cause burns but is easily avoidable

19. Visible Light • Light we see • Produced in varying quantities and colors during welding • Too much can cause temporary night blindness • Too little can cause eye strain • Generally not hazardous

20. Eye & Ear Safety

21. Eye Protection • Eyes must be protected at ALL TIMES • Can be done with • Safety glasses • Goggles • Full Face Shield • Flash Glasses • Flash glasses are special lightly, tinted safety glasses that provide both protection from flying debris and reflected light

22. Eye Protection • Excessive exposure to arc light is not noticed • Welding light damage is like a sunburn, that is felt the next day—after the damage is done

23. Eye Burns • 2 types • Burns to the Retina • Not painful • May cause loss of eye sight • Burns to the white • Very painful • May cause eye infections • Feels as though there is something in your eye, or like there is sand in your eyes

24. Preventing Eye Injury • Wear safety glasses • Use a quality helmet with the correct lens shade • Check helmets daily for cracks and ultraviolet light leaks • Utilize portable welding curtains

25. Ear Protection • Several forms • Ear muffs • Ear plugs

26. Ventilation

27. Ventilation • Area needs to be well ventilated • Natural ventilation is best • Forced ventilation is required in small shops or areas where more than one person is working • Rules for our shop: • Open the overhead door • Turn on the overhead fan in the welding booths • If you are using the Plasma-CAM turn on the vent for it as well • Forced ventilation is always required when welding on metals that contain the following • Zinc • Lead • Beryllium • Cadium • Mercury • Copper • Austenetic • Maganese • Or any material that gives off dangerous fumes

28. Electrical Safety

29. Electrical Safety • Electric shock can cause injuries or death • Most welding and cutting operations involve electricity • Most is powered by alternating current (AC) sources ranging from 115-460 Volts • Fatalaties however can occur with equipment operating at less than 80 volts.

30. How Electrical Accidents Happen • Most electrical shock does not happen by coming in contact with electrode holders • However, it is accidental contact with bare or poorly insulated conductors

31. Electrical Resistance • Lowered in the presence of mouisture or water • This includes presperation

32. Grounding • Workpieces being welded and the frame or chassis of all electrically powered machines must be grounded

33. Electrical Connections • Must be tight • Terminals for leads and cables must be shielded from contact by persons or metal

34. Cables • Must be used within their current carrying capacity and duty cycle capabilities • If not they will overheat and breakdown rapidly • Connectors for lengthening leads must be insulated • Check periodically for fraying

35. Preventing Electrical Hazards • Do not allow the metal parts of electrodes or electrode holders to touch your skin or wet coverings on the body • Wear dry gloves in good condition • Rubber soled shoes are also a good idea • When working in cramped kneeling, sitting or lying positions take care to protect yourself from accidental contact with bare conducting surfaces. • Insulated mats or dry wooden boards are desirable protection from Earth.

36. When Leaving Your Work Station • Turn off all circuits • If working on a welder, leads, electrode holder, torches, wire feeder, gun or other parts turn off and tag out the main power supply until you are finished working • Wear dry gloves when changing coated electrodes

37. Gas Cylinders

38. General Precautions • Use warm water to loosen cylinders that are frozen to the ground • Mark and report to the supplier any cylinder that leaks, has a bad valve, or gas damaged threads • If the cylinder has a leak that can’t be stopped by closing the valve, move it to an open area, post a warning sign and allow the pressure to be released slowly

39. Acetylene Cylinders • Cylinders that have been lying on their side must stand upright for 4 or more hours before use • Acetylene is absorbed in acetone and the acetone is absorbed in a filler. This filler does not allow the liquid to settle back from the valve very quickly • If the cylinder has been in a horizontal position, using it too soon after placing it in a vertical position will draw the acetone out. • Acetone lowers flame temperture and can damage regulator and torch valve settings.

40. Handling & Storage • Store oxygen and gas cylinders seperatly • WHY?? • Storage areas must by 20 ft or by a wall 15 ft high with at least a ½ hour burn rating • Empty cylinders should be stored seperately from full cylinders • Must be stored vertically • Must have protective caps screwed on firmly

41. Securing Gas Cylinders • Must be secured with chain or some other device so that they cannon be knocked over accidently

42. Storage Areas • Locate away from halls, stairwells and exits • Locate away from heat, radiators, furnaces and welding areas • Location should be secure to prevent unauthorized people from tampering with the cylinders • Warning signs should be posted • Ex: “Danger-No Smoking, Matches or Open Light”

43. Valve Protection Caps • Must be in place when cylinders are not in use • Prevents the cylinder valve from being broken off if the cylinder is knocked over • Never lift the cylinder by the cap or valve • Caps must be in place when the cylinders are moved

44. Fire Protection

45. Fire Protection • Fire is a constant hazzard • Possibility can not be removed but can be minimized • Highly combustible materials should not be in the welding area • When that is not possible a fire watch is needed

46. Fire Watch • We should all be on fire watch and know what to do in the case of a fire. • Review the fire drill handout provided.

47. Fire Extinquishers • 4 classes • A • B • C • D

48. Location of Fire Extinguishers FE Sink Exit SHOP Welding Hood Tool Room Ex I t FE Overhead Door

49. Type A Extinguishers • Used for combustible solids such as paper, wood, and cloth. A

50. Type B Extinguishers • Used for combustible liquids such as oil, gas, and paint thinner. B