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Safety during welding
By Prof. B.P. Nansi
Welding is one operation where all kinds of hazards are present: electrical, mechanical, trips, falls, fire, fumes, burns, explosions, eye injuries etc.
Welding takes place in a variety of locations and under different conditions. Welding is done in shops and factories at the floor level, at heights in skyscraper and building construction, and under ground in pits, mines, tunnels etc. Welding is done in any place where two metals are to be joined.
Besides that, the equipment, tools, metal plates, formed metal pieces, pipes, fittings, stored material, office equipment etc., lie scattered around the welder. At many places and, especially at outdoor sites, many pedestrians walk around the welder and vehicles pass by.
All these are hazards. They can cause accidents. Here are some pointers to prevent accidents during welding:
Tools
* Use power tools such as grinders, drills etc., properly
* Know the safe limits, safe speed and safe load of tools and equipment
* Keep tool guards in place
Protective equipment
* Wear eye and hand protection
* Use face shields, safety glasses and goggles
* Wear dry, hole-free insulating gloves
* Do not wear loose items like rings, necklace, long hair, loose clothing, beards etc.
Electrical hazards
* When the power is on, all equipment, electrode, metal parts, wires etc., are electrically charged
* Read all instructions, labels and manuals etc for all equipment
* Do not touch live electrical parts
* Install and ground the equipment rightly
* Wear dry and insulating gloves, protective clothing and insulating shoes
* Use fully insulated electrode holders
* Do not use worn, damaged, undersized or poorly spliced wires
* Make sure all connections are tight, clean, and dry
* Do not wrap wires around any part of your body
Fire
* Welding, cutting and similar work produce molten metal, sparks, hot surfaces etc, which can cause fire or explosion
* Main cause of fires in welding is flying sparks
* Sparks can travel up to ten meters in horizontal direction and longer distance when falling
* A flying spark can land on clothing, saw dust, wood, paper, plastics, chemicals, dry leaves, grass etc and on flammable liquids and gases
Prevent fire
* Where possible, move the work to a location away from combustible materials
* Remove all combustible material from the work area
* If you cannot remove, protect the combustibles with a fire-resistant cover
Explosion
Welding can cause explosions in spaces containing flammable gases, vapors, liquids etc
Trips and falls
The reasons:
* Poor housekeeping
* Scattered parts and pieces left over or waiting for use
* Not using safety belts or using incorrectly when working above floor level
* Electric shock
* Sudden loud noises or shouts
* Incorrect or improperly used/installed safety equipment such as ladders, guardrails, scaffolds, nets etc
* Unsafe actions like tossing tools to other worker or bumping in to someone in a precarious position
* Restricted vision due to helmets and safety goggles
Confined space
* Places that require welding but do not have enough room are 'confined space'. These are: small rooms, storage tanks, process vessels, pipelines, pits, sewers, tunnels, silos, reactor vessels, boilers, compartments of ships, ventilation / exhaust ducts etc
* Beware of: Limited space, entry and exit, poor ventilation and breathing air, possible buildup of hazardous gases, fumes and particles
* Accidents: Fire, explosion, electric shock, suffocation, exposure to hazardous air contaminants
Two sure ways to prevent accidents are: one, train welding personnel and employ qualified welders and two, never take a chance. Only awareness and attitude will ensure safety. Remember, accidents occur because we give a cause.
[28 March 2005]
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