Until the course goes live, or just as another place to look over it, I’m gonna go ahead and post it on here.
If we decide to delete it later on then so be it. But here it is for all the interested parties.
Welcome to the Welding Safety and Concepts Guide!
This guide is built out of the standards found in ANSI Z.49-2005 Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes. Links will be provided at the bottom to the most current revision of the standards for further study.
To begin let’s consider personal safety. Welding and working in the shop will always be risky, but by taking precautions we can significantly reduce the danger posed to ourselves and others. We’ll begin with Personal Protective Equipment or PPE.
First and foremost do not wear clothing made of synthetic materials in the shop as they carry the risk of melting to your body if ignited. Cotton or wool clothing is preferable to polyester or blends. For welding clothes it is advisable to not use fabric softeners and only use clothes in good condition. Frayed clothing of any kind puts you at increased risk of catching fire from a stray spark.
Starting from the floor you’re going to need a good leather boot with a steel toe that goes up the leg at least 8 inches. I prefer to use boots without laces for two reasons: most laced boots use synthetic laces which can catch fire/melt, and weld or cut spatter can work its way around the tongue of a laced boot and come into contact with your feet. This leads to the unfortunate scenario of trying to remove a boot tied to your foot while being burnt the whole time by super hot metal. If laced boots are your only option, laces made of kevlar or other fire resistant materials are available and leather spats may be purchased to add a layer of protection.
For your upper body and arms a wide variety of options are available from leather aprons and welding capes to flame retardant cloth jackets and sleeves. These preferences depend on personal comfort and the type of welding you’ll be doing. In our case any of these options may be worn. A word of personal caution in regards to sleeves: if you do not have any collar to protect your neck from the UV thrown off by the arc a cotton bandana tied around the neck can help prevent radiation burns.
A good pair of leather gloves are essential. However, I cannot overstate the fact that wearing gloves does not exempt you from using pliers or vice grips to handle hot steel. Even the thickest leather gloves will transfer heat to your hands if you grasp a hot work piece for too long. Gloves generally exist on a spectrum with “Most Protection” at one end and “Most Dexterity” at the other. Whichever glove you choose depends on the sort of welding you’ll be doing and how hot the work will be.
To protect the head there are two items which must always be worn in the shop regardless of whether you are welding or not: Eye Protection and Ear Protection. Safety glasses are available in a wide variety of styles ranging from inexpensive to specialty prescription lenses. If you already wear glasses, attachable side guards are available for added protection. For hearing protection soft foam disposable earplugs are commonly used throughout the industry. Another option are reusable PVC earplugs. Whichever you choose boils down to personal preference and comfort.
For the process of welding and cutting you will need a pair of torch shades/cutting goggles and a welding helmet. Under the helmet it is advised to wear some form of soft cap or cotton bandana. This will protect your head from sparks as well as provide added comfort for long welding sessions. Concerning helmets themselves there are many on the market from traditional flip hoods to auto-darkening helmets. Prices range from under ten dollars to three hundred. All of them do the same job, it really comes down to what you’re comfortable with using.
Moving on to essential tools and their safe use…
To be able to make anything out of metal it’s just as important to know how to cut and remove material as it is to fuse and build up. For these tasks we use cutting tools and grinding tools. Let’s cover the cutting options first!
There are several ways to cut metal but they can be sorted into three general categories: mechanical, electrical, and chemical. Mechanical cutting involves physical action with options like snips, shears, and grinders. Electrical cutting applies to plasma cutters; either handheld or CNC. Chemical cutting, more commonly known as oxy-fuel, uses heat and oxygen to rapidly “rust” through ferrous materials and create a cut.
Angle Grinders with cutoff discs, chop saws, and metal bandsaws are all powerful tools that cut metal mechanically. Always take note of where the cutting action takes place and be sure to keep clear of it. If it can slice through steel it can slice through your body with ease. Take note of safety guards built into the machines and ensure they are fitted secure and proper. A damaged guard should be replaced immediately and under no circumstances should a toolguard be removed. If a guard is “in the way” of a cut you’re trying to make then it means you need a different tool for the job.
Plasma cutters use high voltage and pressurized atmosphere to create an extremely hot cutting torch that can slice through anything conductive that is part of its circuit. This means that exotic metals like stainless can be cleanly cut without contamination. However, this utility comes with unique hazards. A plasma arc should be respected much the same as a welding arc. Wear good torch shades and make sure you are positioned clear of the blast through on the side opposite the cut. And remember: if you don’t want to end up like Luke Skywalker at the end of Empire, never lean a part against your body while cutting it with plasma or put any body parts you intend to keep in the circuit while the cutter is in use.
Cutting chemically with the combination of combustible fuel and pressurized oxygen is one of the oldest processes in modern welding. Acetylene gas, due to its low cost, is extremely common in oxy-fuel rigs. The downside is that a tablespoon full of acetylene has the same explosive potential as a quarter stick of dynamite. Since it is denser than atmosphere, if there are leaks in a rig the gas will collect on the floor where an errant spark may ignite it. Standards for the safe use and handling of acetylene do exist, but at DMS for the time being it has been deemed too hazardous to keep in the shop. Incidents in the past with regulators not being attached properly and fires breaking out made it too much of a risk. Injuries resulting from other cutting processes can be very serious to the operator, but an acetylene explosion has the potential to harm a great number of people at once.
The last thing we’ll discuss before moving onto environmental hazards are grinders. The humble angle grinder is going to be one of your best friends in the shop. With a multitude of attachments and discs the grinder is the king of material removal, polishing, and many mechanical cutting tasks. Because of how much you’ll end up using them it’s important to familiarize yourself with the special dangers presented by this tool. As mentioned above, always keep the disc guard on the grinder and use grinder discs rated for the size and RPM of your tool. If a disc won’t fit on your grinder with the guard in place, removing the guard is never the right answer.
Grinding stones, cutoff discs, and wire wheels deserve special attention because it is not really a matter of if these attachments will fail but when. If you notice a crack or any damage to a cutoff disc or grinding stone dispose of it. It isn’t worth the risk to use a damaged disk that may fail and explode at high speeds throwing shrapnel across the shop. Wire wheels are rapidly spinning brushes usually made from thin wires of stainless steel. As they wear from use it is common for small pieces of these wires to break off and become projectiles. No matter what kind of task you’re doing with a grinder not only should you wear your safety glasses but an extra layer of protection in the form of a grinding shield must be worn. A quick google image search can pull up all sorts of grisly accidents resulting from improper grinder use without the correct PPE. Don’t become a cautionary tale! Always wear your safety gear!
Now some words on Shop Safety…
Whenever you enter the welding shop before you jump onto a project always do a quick inspection for potential hazards. Are there any flammable materials on the floor or tables? Oily shop rags in the corner? Perhaps a container of acetone someone was using to de-grease a project? Good housekeeping can prevent injuries and in some cases even save lives. Even something as seemingly innocent as grinder dust left on the floor can create a thin slippery layer on smooth concrete, resulting in a slip and nasty fall against the hard edge of the welding table.
The DMS welding shop makes use of gases stored under high pressure in cylinders. Are those cylinders secured by their chains? Do the cylinders currently not in use have their protective caps screwed in place? Youtube has plenty of videos of high pressure cylinders becoming missiles when their taps are damaged or broken. For your own safety and for the safety of others out in the warehouse always keep an eye on our cylinders and ensure they’re stored properly.
Make sure that our ventilation system is in good working order before you begin. Fumes from welding, particularly stick (SMAW) and flux-core (FCAW) can cause short term discomfort and long term illness without proper ventilation. We want you to be welding happily for the long haul so don’t cut your career short by inhaling flux fumes.
I understand that this may seem like a lot of responsibility to take on especially if welding is only going to be a small part of a larger project. DMS is often called a “do-acracy” If you want something done, do it! I should point out that the converse is true: if nobody does it, it doesn’t get done. The responsibility of creating and maintaining a safe place to do our work rests on all our shoulders. When you’re working in the shop keep an eye out for others. When you work with a partner inspect yourselves to make sure you’re being safe with tools and using the proper PPE. When your task is completed and you’re ready to go, do a quick sweep and ensure the shop is ready for the next welder.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! And if you follow the safety principles outlined in this short guide you’ll go a long way towards preventing serious injuries to you and the rest of the membership at DMS! Thanks for reading.
Links of interest!
The most up to date version of the Standards this guide is based on: Page Not Found - American Welding Society (AWS)
The brand of gloves I prefer. Tilman makes lots of welding products, I suggest you browse.
https://www.amazon.com/John-Tillman-Co-Premium-Straight/dp/B000J2JT7O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503253517&sr=8-3&keywords=tillman+mig+gloves
The leather welding cape I use, many cheaper options exist but I can vouch for this one personally:
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Stallion-Cowhide-Welding-Sleeve/dp/B003PCWJRW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1503363709&sr=8-2&keywords=leather+welding+cape
Much cheaper fire retardant cloth welding jacket:
https://www.amazon.com/IRONCAT-7050-XL-Irontex-Cotton/dp/B007QTC7X6/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1503254043&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=fire+resistant+welding+jacket
Welding sleeves I’ve used:
https://www.amazon.com/IRONCAT-7071-18-Irontex-Sleeves/dp/B0081JGZ2E/ref=sr_1_8?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1503253681&sr=1-8&keywords=welding+sleeves
Inexpensive welding cap:
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Stallion-BC5B-BLU-Cotton-Beanie/dp/B003S6YLDA/ref=sr_1_7?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1503254155&sr=1-7&keywords=welding+cap
Jackson makes good products, here are their torch shades:
https://www.amazon.com/Jackson-3004761-Nemesis-Cutting-Glasses/dp/B001VXTC2W/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1503254300&sr=1-1&keywords=torch+shades
Side shields for prescription glasses:
https://www.amazon.com/Bouton-Sideshields-glasses-Flexible-99705/dp/B000RMJ368/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1503253726&sr=1-1&keywords=safety+side+shields+for+glasses
Boots very similar to the ones I wear:
https://www.amazon.com/Wolverine-Floorhand-Waterproof-Steel-Brown/dp/B01ITL8EI6/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1503253791&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=wolverine+boot+steel+toe
Much cheaper than a new pair of boots, but offers good protection!
https://www.amazon.com/AP-9100-split-cowhide-welding-protectors/dp/B071D78ZXT/ref=sr_1_2?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1503253875&sr=8-2&keywords=welding+spat
