NC LEVEL: II

INTRODUCTION METALS AND ENGINEERING

MODULE: 2

WELDING SAFETY

1. Terms and definitions

a. Arc burn – a burn on the exterior membrane of the eye caused by exposing
the naked eye to the ultra-violet and infra-rays in the flash of an electric arc, or
the exposure of improperly covered body are to the flash of an electric arc

b. Accident – Any suddenly occurring, unintentional event which causes

personal injury of property damage

c. Combustibles – Materials or liquids that catch fire easily

d. First aid – Immediate, temporary care given the victim of an accident or

sudden illness until the service of a doctor can be obtained

e. Frostbite – Skin tissue damage caused by exposure to tense cold

f. Hygiene – The science of good health and its maintenance, including sanitary
practices and cleanliness

g. OSHA – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration; federal

legislation designed to insure safe and sanitary working conditions for employees

h. Safety – State or condition of being safe; freedom from danger, risk or injury

i. Tetanus – An acute infectious disease that usually enters the body through
cuts or wounds; characterized by spasmodic contractions or rigidity of some
voluntary muscles and frequently referred to as lockjaw

j. Tourniquet – A bandage or strap twisted around a limb to compress the flow of

blood through arteries and check severe bleeding; previously a recommended
first aid procedure, but now recommended only for life-threatening situations

2. The ALWAYS rules for welding safety

a. Always wear suitable protective clothing and eye protection

b. Always keep a safe, clean work area.

c. Always keep welding equipment in good condition.

d. Always check welding areas to make sure they’re safe to work in.

e. Always respect gas cylinders as dangerous and potentially lethal.

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f. Always make sure ventilation provides three to four complete changes of air
per hour.

g. Always look out for fellow students and co-workers.

3. The NEVER rules for welding safety

a. Never enter the welding shop without wearing safety glasses.

b. Never weld, cut or grind near flammable or explosive materials

c. Never use oil on gas cylinders, regulators, connections or hoses.

d. Never permit an electrode holder to come in contact with a welding machine or a

gas cylinder.

e. Never operate ungrounded equipment.

f. Never cut or weld directly on concrete.

g. Never arc weld or operate electrically powered equipment whiled standing on wet
or damp floors.

h. Never cut into barrels, drums, or any container that has not been purged.

i. Never ground electrical equipment to a building member or a piece of equipment

attached to or part of the building.

j. Never engage in horseplay of any kind.

4. Shop safety rules

a. Keep all hand tools sharp, clean, and in safe working order.

b. Report any defective tools, machines, or other equipment to the instructor.

c. Keep all guards and safety devices securely in place.

d. Operate a hazardous machine only after receiving instruction or how to operate

the machine safety.

e. Report all accidents to the instructor regardless of their nature or severity.

f. Turn off the power before leaving a machine tool.

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g. Make sure all guards and barriers are in place and adjusted properly before
starting a machine tool.

h. Disconnect the power from machine tools before performing the maintenance
tasks of oiling or cleaning.

5. Eye safety

a. Wear safety glasses at all times in the welding shop.

b. Wear safety glasses and a face shield when grinding, chipping, cutting or
shaping metal with any kind of power tool.

c. If you wear contact lenses, check with your doctor to see if the type of lens you
wear requires any special precautions in the environment.

Note: Reports that an electric arc can burn a contact lens to the cornea of the eye are
false, but dust or other contaminants in the air can be irritating to persons who wear
contact lenses, and some work environments may merit special precautions for contact
lens wearers.

d. Sect proper lens shade for the welding or cutting activity and make sure the lens
is not chipped, cracked, or damaged.

e. Do not wear plastic-coated lenses for welding cutting.

f. Remember that lens shade number are not additive, in other words a #8 and a
#6 lens will not give the same density as a #14 lens, so don’t mix lenses.

g. Wear welding goggles or a welding hood with the proper lens shade for all
welding and cutting activity.

Lens Shade Selector Chart

Type of operation Shade number
Soldering 2
Torch brazing 3 or 4
Oxygen cutting
0 – 1 inch 4 or 5
1 – 6 inches 3 or 5
6 inches and over 5 or 6
Gas welding
1 – 1/8 inch 4 or 5
1/8 inch to ½ 5 or 6
½ inch and over 6 or 8
Shielded metal arc welding
9 – 14
1/16 3/32 1/8 5/32 inch electrodes
Arc cutting 12 – 14
( Common Competency ) Document No.
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Gas metal arc welding 9 – 14

Gas tungsten arc welding
Nonferrous, gas metal arc 9 – 14
welding
1/16 3/32 1/8 5/32 inch electrodes
Gas tungsten arc welding (ferrous)
9 – 14
gas metal arc welding (ferrous)
1/16 3/32 1/8 5/32 electrodes

6. Good housekeeping rules

a. Arrange machinery and requirement to permit safe efficient work practices and
eases in cleaning.

b. Store materials and supplies in proper places

c. Store tools and accessories safely in cabinets on racks, or other storage bins.

d. Keep working areas and work benches clear and free of debris and other
hazards.

e. Keep floors clean and free from obstructions and slippery substances.

f. Keep aisles, traffic areas, and exits free of materials or debris.

g. Dispose of combustible materials properly or store them in approved containers.

h. Store oily rags in self-closing or spring-lid metal containers.

i. Keep sufficient brooms, brushes, and other housekeeping equipment readily

available.

7. Factors contributing to back injuries and their causes

a. Weight – This usually results from overestimating your physical abilities and
trying to lift more weight than you can handle; and sometimes it results from trying to be
macho in front of fellow workers.

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b. Size – This usually results from moving an object that may be within your weight
capacity, but too long, thin, or wide to lift safety.

c. Shape – This usually results from moving an object that makes safe lifting
difficult.

d. Obstructions – This usually results from stacking materials so high that vision
is limited and items in the pathway can’t be seen.

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d. When lifting of carrying with another worker, make sure the load is equally
distributed, and carry long objects at the same level and on the same side of the body.

Note: When moving or carrying large metal sheets, it is especially important to

have another worker help.

e. Set the load down by using leg and back muscles together; slowly the load by
bending your knees, and release your grip only after the load is securely positioned.

8. Rules for personal safety

a. Wear shop clothing appropriate to the instructional activity being performed, and
do not wear greasy clothing

b. Confine long nail before operating equipment.

c. Remove ties when working around the machine tools or rotating equipment.

d. Remove rings and other jewelry when working in the shop, and avoid wearing
safety glasses that have wire frames.

e. Conduct yourself in a manner conducive to safe shop practices.

f. Do not smoke in restricted areas, and do not carry a butane or propane lighter in
your packet around any welding or cutting activity.

9. Personal physical and hygiene requirements

a. Take a bath or shower daily.

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Note: This should be a matter of personal pride, a matter of habit, but beyond, it’s
a responsibility to your fellow workers or classmates.

b. Stay in good physical condition because this also promotes good psychological
health.
c. Do not drink alcoholic beverages or use drugs on the job, and don’t show up for
work with a hangover.

Caution: Even at the hangover stage, alcohol impairs judgment and endangers
co-workers and drugs are both physically and psychologically damaging.

d. Pay attention at all time because the majority of accidents happen to beginners in
their first few months of work

10. Types of fires and their classifications

a. Class A – Fires that occur in ordinary combustible materials

Example: Wood, rags, paper, or trash

b. Class B – Fires that occur in flammable liquids

Example: Gasoline, oil, grease, paints, and thinners

c. Class C – Fires that occur in electrical and electric equipments

Example: Motors, switchboards, circuit wiring, radios, and television

d. Class D – Fires that occur in combustible metals

Example: Powdered aluminum and magnesium

11. Fire safety rules

a. Report immediately anything that might indicate a potential fire hazard.

Example : The sound of wires shorting even though they can’t be
seen, a light blinks on and off, and the smell of smoke even when a flame is not
visually apparent all indicate potential fire hazards.

b. Know the location and the proper operation of fire extinguishers and make sure
they have been recently checked.

c. Know where the nearest telephone is and make sure the number of the nearest
fire department is listed on the phone.

d. Know the procedure for evaluating the building and the location of all fire exits in
case one or more exits may be blocked.

e. Smoke only at authorized times and in authorized areas and make sure cigarette
butts are completely extinguished and properly discarded.

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f. Examine materials and equipment around the workplace to determine what types
of fires might occur, then make sure available fire extinguishes are correct for the
classes of fire that might occur.

g. Isolate combustible materials in fire-resistant areas.

h. Dispose of rubbish regularly.

i. Conduct fire drills at regular intervals to make the alarm can be heard over shop
noises, and that everyone knows evacuation routes, exits, and assembly points.

Note: During fire alarm, students should go to an assembly point predetermined

by the instructor, and this point should be used to account for all students who
have evacuated the building.

12. Guidelines for oxygen safety

a. Since oxygen under pressure may react violently in the presence of oil or grease,
all oxygen fittings and equipment should be kept free of oil and grease.

Caution: Do not use detergent solutions to test for leaks around oxygen
cylinders. Many detergents contain oil.

b. Oxygen cylinders should never be stored near highly combustible materials such
as acetylene cylinders.

c.Oxygen should be used and stored with the valve end up.

d. Refrigerated oxygen cylinders have a double wall construction to help maintain a

vacuum, and such cylinders should be handled with extreme care.

e. Avoid skin contact with liquid oxygen because its extremely low temperature can
cause frostbite.

f. Oxygen cylinders should be protected against excessive temperature rises.

13. Guidelines for acetylene safety

a. Because acetylene burns readily, acetylene cylinders should be kept

safely away from open flames.

b. Acetylene cylinders should be stored in clean, dry, well ventilated

locations free from other combustibles.

c. Never withdraw acetylene from a cylinder at pressure over 15 psi.

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d. Never use acetylene from a cylinder that is lying on its side because
acetone withdrawn with the acetylene could damage equipment and cause
inferior welds.

e. Acetylene cylinders should be protected against excessive temperature

rises.

14. Basic safety rules for oxyacetylene cylinders and gases

a. Secure cylinder in a vertical position, make sure the area is clear, and
blow out cylinder valves before attaching regulators

b. Release adjusting screw in regulators before opening cylinder valves.

c. Stand on the side opposite the regulator when opening a cylinder valve.

d. Open cylinder valve SLOWLY.

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e. Do not use or compress acetylene at pressures higher than 15 psi.

f. Purge oxygen and fuel gas lines before lighting torch.

g. Light acetylene before opening oxygen valve on torch.

h. Never use oil on regulators, torches, fittings, or other equipment in

contact with oxygen.

i. Do not use oxygen as a substitute for compressed air.

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j. Keep heat, flames, and sparks away from combustibles.

SAFETY

1) Terms and definitions

a. Oxygen displacement – reduction of oxygen caused by any arc or flame in the

work zone around a welding activity.

b. Toxic hazards – Poisonous gases, fumes, and vapors produces by chemical

reactions in certain welding processes.

c. Contaminants – Impurities formed from chemical reactions between base

metals, flux, and electrodes, and usually present in fumes and vapors.

Caution: Toxic hazards and contaminants are usually present in fumes and
vapors.

2) Electrical safety for arc welding

a. All electrical equipment should have an earth ground for safety reasons, and this
ground should not be confused with the work lead to workpiece ground that completes
the welding circuit.

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Electrode Holder

Electrode Electrode Lead

Workpiece Connection
Workpiece Lead Negative

Ground Connection

b. Keep electrical connections tight, clean, and dry because poor connections can
heat up, cause bad welds, produce dangerous arcs and sparking, and even melt.

c. Keep work area, equipment, and clothing dry because even a slight amount of
moisture can conduct enough electricity to cause a severe shock.

d. Never dip an electrode holder in water to cool it.

e. When working with welding machines set up for multiple operation, be very
careful not to touch hot parts of the electrode holders because open-circuit voltages from
two machines are increased and can cause a severe shock.

f. Remove electrode from electrode holder when work is finished.

g. Disconnect and lock out all electric power sources before doing any work on
electrical equipment.

h. When working in high places, carefully examine work area for electrical hazards
because a shock in such conditions could cause a fall and severe injury.

i. Keep welding cables free of conduits, motors, and any other equipment that
could cause a short circuit.

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j. Keep ground as far away from the arc as possible.

3) Rules for handling welding cables

a. Never drag a welding cable through oil, and never pull on a cable to force it over
an obstruction.

b. Use only clean, dry rags to clean welding cables, and never use gasoline or an
oily rag to clean a cable.

c. When not in use, keep welding cables free of kinds and properly stored on a flat
surface off the floor.

d. Never drape a welding cable over any type of gas cylinder.

4) Rules for handling hollow casting or containers

a. Hollow castings or containers should be vented before any heating, cutting, or

welding activity.

b. Tanks, drums, and containers should not be heated, cut, or welded.

c. The rule for beginning welders is to never attempt heating, cutting, or welding on
hollow castings or containers.

5) Hazards from arc rays

a. A welding arc produces ultraviolet and infrared radiation that can severely burn
eyes that are unprotected with a proper shade of protective lens.

Note: A welding helmet or hood protects the head from flying sparks, but the
shaded lens and safety glasses are required for total eye protection.
b. Radiation from a welding arc is strong enough to burn or something blister bare
skin if the exposure is intense or for an extended period, so arms, legs, and torso
should be covered with durable flame-resistant clothing.

c. Work stations and work areas should be shielded to prevent an arc flash from
injuring nearby workers or visitors.

6) Types of welding hoods

a. Stationary filter lens – This type hood has a fixed lens housing with the shaded
lens held in by a spring retainer from where a lens can be slipped out and
replaced as welding requires.

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Inner Retainer
Spring

Light Seal Plate Gasket

b. Flip-front filter lens – This type hood has lens housing with a front side that can
be flipped up so that it leaves a clear-glass lens that permits the hood to be worn
while chipping.
7. Steps in selecting a safe lens shade for shielded metal arc welding

a. Determine
Inner Retainerthe
Spring
electrode size and amperage
range for the electrode
because electrode size and
amperage used dictate the
lens protection required.

b. Select lens shade

according to the lens
manufacturer’s selection
chart, but never select less
than a #8 lens shade for
shielded metal arc welding. Light Seal Plate Gasket
Outer Retainer Spring
Note: When you remove your hood after arc welding and you see white spots or
white blotches as after images, it means that you are getting too much light
through the lens and you should switch to a shade at least one number darker, or
check the seal on you lens.
Electrode Size Amperage Shade #
- 30 – 75 8
1/16 – 5/32 75 – 200 10
3/16 – ¼ 200 – 400 12
c. A rule of 5/16 – 3/8 400 + 14 thumb is that
the larger the diameter of the electrode, the higher the number required for a lens shade.

a. Protective clothing required for arc welding

a. Basic clothing requirements:

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(1) Heavy, long sleeve shirts with pocket flaps

(2) Heavy, cuffless pants not frayed at the bottom

(3) No clothing made of synthetic materials

b. A welder’s cap has a flexible bill that can be slipped around to cover either ear
and keep sparks or metal splatter out of the ear opening.

c. Leather jackets and aprons should be worn for additional protection, especially
when welding out of position or in confined areas where flying sparks present an
increased hazard.

d. Boots should be made of heavy leather with uppers that reach above the ankle to
help prevent burns from sparks and spatter.

Note: Although steel-toed boots are not required, they are highly recommended.

e. Heavy leather gloves with gauntlets are required for all welding and cutting
activities.

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f. Safety glasses should have nonmetal frames, and impact-resistant lenses with
side shields to protect from flying objects.

g. To provide good visibility-when chipping or grinding, wear a clear, plastic-type

face shield because it will provide protection from slag or metal.

h. Wear a face shield when required, but do not substitute a face shield for safety
glasses because safety glasses should be worn at all times in the welding
workplace.

i. In situations where the danger of falling materials or tools may be present,

always wear a hard hat.

Note: In certain job situations, wearing a hard hat may be a requirement of the
contractor.

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b. Environment problems and their safety requirements

a. Ventilation – Many welding activities produce toxic fumes and vapor that are
hazardous to breathe, and every work station should be equipped with ventilation or an
exhaust system capable of safety removing dangerous and irritating smoke and
contaminants.

Caution: Always position your head out of the way of rising fumes.

b. Respirators – In confined areas where the hazard of toxic fumes is increased, a

welder should wear an air-supplied respirator or a self-contained breathing apparatus,
not a filter-type mask that cannot compensate for oxygen displacement.

c. Noise – This is a workplace hazard frequently overlooked, but ear plugs or

muffler-type ear protectors should be worn when the work area subjects a welder to high
noise levels, especially high noise levels that are continuous.

d. Lighting – Lighting in a work area or at work station should be bright enough to

provide good visibility free of glare because poorly lit work areas contribute to eye
fatigue, irritation, and poor work

( Common Competency ) Document No.

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