Arc Welding Safety

Safe and accident free completion of any welding operation should be the goal of all welders as well as anyone who works in the vicinity of a welding operation. Here are a few welding safety tips that will help you achieve that goal.

• Wearing proper eye protection is vital. Welders and their helpers must use the correct filter lens in their goggles or helmets to protect their eyes from infrared and ultraviolet light.

• Precautions for fire prevention must be taken in areas where welding is being done. For example, isolating the welding and cutting area and removing fire hazards from the vicinity is important. If normal fire prevention precautions are not sufficient, a qualified person should be assigned to guard against fire during the operation, and for a suitable time after completion of the work, to ensure that no possibility of fire exists. Be sure that fire extinguishing equipment is available and ready for immediate use. In areas where heavy dust concentrations exist, or where flammable paints or other flammable materials are present, welding, cutting or heating can create a significant fire hazard. Proceed with extreme caution! A noncombustible or flameproof screen should isolate the welding or cutting area to protect other workers in the vicinity from direct arc rays.

•Watch your slag; it could cause a serious injury to someone working below.

• If the electrode holder is left unattended, the electrodes must be removed, and the holder must be placed so that electrical contact cannot be made with another employee or any conducting object.

• All arc welding and cutting cables must be completely insulated and capable of handling the maximum current requirements for the job. The insulation on any splice within 10 feet of the electrode holder must be equal to the insulation of the cable.