Have you ever experienced any hazards during welding or are you new in this field? Then this blog is for you where we talk about how important is your safety during welding, some of the most commonly faced hazards during welding and risks as well as the safety precautions and tips and tricks for welders.
There’s no doubt that welding is a very risky profession where statistics show that more than a half-million workers are exposed to severe health hazards and risk to their safety every year. The measures to be adopted for safe welding should be put in place at every facility. Welding safety can be effectively implemented at the workplace by conducting proper awareness training, checking the equipment of welding and making sure the welders are well educated of the safety precautions that needs to be followed prior to welding in order to reduce the potential health risks and injuries.
The safety practices to be followed by welders will depend on how complex is the task to be carried out and also the job site conditions. In general, it’s mandatory to follow the basic safety guidelines of welding as per the industry regulations. This would include:
- Welders are required to always wear respirators that are approved unless exposure assessments are way below the allowed limits of exposure.
- Checking the equipment of welding and the holder of electrodes prior to starting to work.
- Welding operators shouldn’t be touching the metal parts of the electrode holder either with skin or wet clothing.
- It’s advised to wear proper PPE such as welding helmets and eye protection wear like goggles to protect the eyes of welders and head from getting hurt from sparks, intense light, hot slag as well as chemical burns.
Welders should remain only in the respective job area for at least thirty minutes even after finishing the welding to make sure the area is free from smoldering fires.
Each region’s Health and Safety department must have issued certain guidelines for welding. Even though the implementation of these standards depend on the context of the business, certain guidelines can be followed as a common standard.
Designated Welding Area
A welding operator should carefully observe their job environment before starting to weld. It is best to look for any machines that could be flammable or items present within a stipulated area of the welding. The recommended safe and secure distance from the area of welding is 35 feet which is 10 meters. If the job piece to be welded cannot be easily moved, it is ideal to move materials that can cause fire hazards away from the area of welding.
Protect Yourself
If you are unable to eliminate all of the fire hazards, then it’s necessary that relevant safeguards must be put in place in order to secure the fire hazards that are immovable and to confine sparks, hot slags and heat that are generated from welding.
Forsee Risks
There are several risks that come with welding that could pose serious health hazards (e.g. exposure to weld fumes and Ultra Violet radiation). Welding risks may differ depending on the space from where it is done. Hence it is advised that an assessment on the risks involved should be carried out before starting to work. This will benefit in setting the controls in order to manage or prevent the risks. Or else, no welding or cutting operations should be allowed.
Equipment Upkeep
A welding operator or their helpers who work standing on runways, platforms or scaffolds should be protected from falling down with the help of life lines, safety belts, railing, life lines or any other safeguards that would serve the purpose.
Protection Kit
It is recommended that welders should be wearing proper PPE in order to safeguard from dangers that can lead to physical injury or sickness. Some e.g. of PPE used by welding operators to ensure protection are:
-Shirts with Long-sleevs
-Full pants with no cuffs
-Welding helmet or safety goggles
-Respirators
-Ear plugs or muffs
-Safety Boots & safety gloves
Ventilation
Another method of eliminating incidents from welding and ensuring the protection of employees is properly ventilating the space. Ventilation helps in eliminating contaminants from air from a welder’s work space, reducing the accumulation of combustible or flammable gases or vapors, and eliminating the oxygen-rich or oxygen-deficient atmospheres.
Issue Warnings
After completing the welding operations, the welding operator should make a mark on the hot metal or keep some kind of warning to other operators.
Check Documents
Please make sure that each welding operator has given access to container labels of materials and data sheets on safety and are well trained once new equipment and/or techniques are adopted.
Take care of yourself and all those around you while following safety guidelines. If any safety violation is noticed, do not hesitate to immediately report it.
Conclusion
Ensure safety in your workplace by properly using PPE’s and other safety guidelines mentioned above. You can get premium quality and customised safety gears from reputed brands. Be mindful that it’s your responsibility to raise the safety and efficiency by educating your welding operators in order to request what they require with just some taps, be it anytime and be it anywhere!
