Safety in Welding

Section IThe Welding Work

Environment
The Welding Work Area
Like playing with fire, welding is inherently dangerous. The goal of this chapter is not to scare you
with the list of possible hazards: the goal is to equip you with the knowledge to avoid these hazards.
To begin, the right work environment is critical for welding safely.
A good welding area should:

Be clean and comfortable to work in.

Allow you to position the work to avoid welding on the floor unless absolutely necessary. You
will not do you best work there.

Be free of drafts on the work from fans, wind, windows, and doors, yet still have adequate
ventilation to reduce the inhalation of welding fumes.

Provide bright light: welding in sunlight is better than in dim light because the non-glowing
parts of the weld show up better.

F because better welds will result at these temperatures than welds made in cold
temperatures. However, acceptable welds can be made at ambient temperatures in the 4050F
range except where the weld specifications call for preheating.

Have tools positioned within easy reach of the welder.

Be free of combustibles, puddles and tripping hazards.

Be outfitted with all the necessary personal safety equipment for the processes to be used.

Section IIEye, Face & Skin Protection

Welding Hazards
Welding and cutting operations produce many hazards. These include both ultraviolet, infrared and
visible radiation, flying metal particles, sparks, chipping slag, and grinding particles. Because these
hazards are ever present in the welding environment, proper selection and consistent use of
appropriate eye, face and skin protection is vital.

Prescription Glasses & Safety Glasses

If youre now wearing bifocal lenses, you should know that Varilux-type progressive lenses are a big
improvement over traditional bifocals. When the wearer looks straight ahead, these lenses focus at
long distances, and when the wearer looks down at an angle, the lenses focus at a normal distance
for reading. This arrangement works well for most situations, but for some shop projectswelding
and layout work are good examplesthe wearer needs to see close work at a straight-ahead angle.
In this case, the lenses are set for a long-distance focus and the work is blurry. For most people the
solution is to purchase a pair of inexpensive, drug-store reading glasses for close work. These
readers are adequate for some close-up shop work if worn under safety goggles, but prescription
safety glasses made specifically for the welding work environment are the proper
solution. Remember: Safety glasses with side shields should be worn at all times in the welding
shop.

Welding Helmets
Welding helmets protect the eyes and face from radiation and mechanical injury. Helmets are made
of fiberboard or fiberglass and have a tinted plate or window for viewing. These tinted glass plates
are available in a series of shades or densities so visibility and protection at a range of arc currents,
or light levels, is possible. In general, the higher the welding current, the higher the radiation level,
and the higher the shade of the protective lens required. Table 2-1 shows the recommended shade
numbers for common processes and current levels. Today, in addition to the traditional welding
helmets with glass plates, welding helmets with electronic faceplates, sometimes called autodarkening filters(ADFs), are very popular because they have become inexpensive and offer these
advantages:
The welder does not need to raise and lower his helmet when performing a series of welds. He can
always see where he is with the helmet down.

The beginner does not have to master holding his electrode steady when he drops his helmet. This
permits beginners to perform better welds earlier in their training.
Electronic faceplates offer continuous eye protection from infrared radiation coming off red-hot metal
even when they are not in the darkened mode. Electronic faceplates are just easier on the eyes.

Steel Plate
Operation

Thickness
(inches)

Arc Welding

Welding

Lowest

Comfort

Current

Shade

Shade

(A)

Number

Number

>60

60160

10

160250

10

12

250550

11

14

>60

60160

10

11

160250

10

12

250500

10

14

>50

10

50150

12

150200

10

14

4, 5

(Shielded Metal Arc Welding)

Wire Feed Welding

(Gas Metal Arc Welding &

Flux Core Arc Welding)

TIG

(Gas Tungsten Arc Welding)

Oxyfuel Gas Welding (Steel)

>1/8

/81/2

5, 6

<1/2

6, 8

>300

300400

12

400800

10

14

>500

10

12

5001000

11

14

>1

3, 4

16

4, 5

<6

5, 6

Torch Brazing

3, 4

Torch Soldering

Plasma Arc Cutting

Air-Carbon Arc Cutting

Oxyfuel Gas Cutting (Steel)

Table 2-1. Suggested viewing plate shades. To select the best shade for the application, start with
the highest shade number and, if it is difficult to see the operation, reduce the shade number until
the operation is sufficiently visible. Do not go below the lowest given shade number. Lighter shades
may be used where the arc is hidden by the work.
Tip: Choose a welding helmet with an adjustment knob to control the size of its headband, not the
notch-in-hole designs that have fixed diameter increments. These rarely fit properly and are either
too tight or too loose.

Goggles & Face Shields

Tinted goggles are suitable for many oxyfuel gas welding and brazing operations which require a
lower level of skin protection. Tinted goggles may be appropriate for some oxyfuel cutting work as
well.
Goggles and face shields are essential during grinding operations that produce sparks and abrasive
particles, and when wire brushing, which can release wheel wires that fly at high speeds.

Welding Gloves
Welding gloves are the first line of defense against electric shock, flames, hot parts, sharp or flying
metal and arc rays. Different types of gloves are required for different processes and hazards. The
thin and flexible deerskin or goatskin gloves which are suitable for low-current GTAW precision
welding, would offer insufficient protection for air-carbon cutting where insulated, tough and durable
cowhide gloves are essential.

Protective Clothing
Long sleeve cotton or wool shirts are suitable for many processes. The weave of the fabric must be
dense enough to stop arc radiation from reaching the skin. Be sure to button the top shirt button to
protect the upper chest and neck area from arc rays. Synthetic fabrics tend to melt when burned and
must be avoided. For overhead work, leather shirts, commonly called leathers, are essential for
protection against falling sparks and molten metal. Cloth caps are helpful to protect the head from
being burned by direct, indirect or reflected light. Wearing a headband under your welding helmet
helps prevent sweat from getting into your eyes. See Figure 2-1.

Figure 2-1. Welders protective clothing. The leathers are on the right.

Arc Radiation
There are three types of arc radiation: infrared, or heat, visible light, and ultraviolet light. All of these
rays are capable of both temporary and permanent eye and skin damage.
Ultraviolet, in addition to creating an immediate painful sunburn, is carcinogenic and, over time, a
real life-threatening danger. Although arc brightness or luminance increases slowly with increasing
arc current, ultraviolet radiation increases as the square of the arc current, meaning twice the current
produces four times the radiation. Since UV is invisible, large increases are not detectible visually
and may cause major injury before these high levels are detected. Welding processes that use
argon shielding gas are usually intense UV sources.
In addition to direct exposure to arc rays, reflected radiation can cause injury to other workers and to
the public. Personnel in the welding area must be protected from the welding arc and sparks by
protective screens.