HSE STANDING INSTRUCTIONS

ONSHORE FACILITIES

Page Rev Date

: : :

1 1 Sept. 05

SI 033 WELDING and CUTTING

PAGE No. Page 1 Page 2 1. 2. 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 3. 3.1 3.1.1 3.1.2 3.1.3 3.1.4 3.1.5 3.2 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.3 3.3.1 Page 5 3.3.2 3.3.3 SECTION SUBJECT INDEX OF CONTENTS PURPOSE RESPONSIBLE PERSONS Site Manager Control Room Operator Safety Advisor Task Supervisor PROCEDURES General Fume Hazards Fire & Explosion Hazards Pre-Operational Checks Work Site Personal Protective Equipment GAS WELDING AND BURNING General Ventilation & Breathing Apparatus for Gas welding GAS WELDING AND BURNING Electrical Supply and Connections Welding Leads Electrode Holders

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Prepared by : RP

Reviewed by : EB

Approved by : CMS

HSE STANDING INSTRUCTIONS

ONSHORE FACILITIES

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2 1 Sept. 05

SI 033 WELDING and CUTTING

1. PURPOSE
To ensure a safe and controlled working environment in the welding and burning operations for personnel, plant and equipment.

2. 2.1

RESPONSIBLE PERSONS SITE MANAGER

The Site Manager is responsible for assessing the need, and granting permission, for hot work to be carried out on live lines.

2.2

CONTROL ROOM OPERATOR

The Control Room Operator is responsible for ensuring that : A Main work Permit (Hot) is raised and issued prior to the commencement of work. All appropriate precautions detailed in this procedure are entered on the Work Permit (Hot) and are implemented prior to commencement of the task.

2.3

SAFETY ADVISOR
The Safety Advisor is responsible for monitoring the safety of all working practices.

2.4

TASK SUPERVISOR
The Task Supervisor is responsible for : Ensuring that the requirements of the Work Permit are carried out Familiarising himself and his Operators with the details of the procedures Ensuring that due care and attention is maintained throughout the operation

3. 3.1

PROCEDURES GENERAL 3.1.1 Fume Hazards

All precautions must be employed to prevent excessive welding fume, and all personnel involved in welding or cutting operations must wear suitable respiratory equipment if Local Exhaust Ventilation is not available. Welders must ensure that they are aware of the type of material they are required to weld, and ensure that the type of respiratory protection is suitable for the fume generated by that material. All materials must be cleaned or degreased as necessary before the commencement of welding or cutting operations.

Prepared by : RP

Reviewed by : EB

Approved by : CMS

HSE STANDING INSTRUCTIONS

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3 1 Sept. 05

SI 033 WELDING and CUTTING

3.1.2 Fire and Explosion Hazards
No welding or cutting may be done without a Work Permit (Hot) and the conditions laid down on that permit must strictly be observed. In all welding and cutting operations, a Dry Powder fire extinguisher of a minimum capacity of 9 kg. must be readily accessible near the work. A Fire Watch Attendant must be on site throughout the Hot work operation. The work must be suitably screened to prevent sparks and hot metal from flying outside the immediate area. Fire blankets are to be used to screen local or other areas and equipment. Welding booths and screens must: Be non-combustible Have an interior surface which minimises the reflection of dangerous radiation Allow thorough ventilation

The welding earth cables should be fixed at the work site, or if this is not practicable, within 3 metres of the worksite. Torches and hoses must not be left in vessels or enclosed spaces when they are not in use, e.g. after use, during a lunch break, or over-night, and must be disconnected from the cylinder. Merely closing the valve is NOT A DISCONNECTION

3.1.3 Pre Operation Checks

Do not use any naked light before a Work Permit (hot) has been issued in accordance with these procedures. Do not under any circumstances use compressed oxygen for ventilation. Inspect the space between double plates, or weir plates, where flammable materials may be found before welding or burning operations begin.

3.1.4 Work Site

Ensure that welding and burning equipment is properly maintained and well located with proper lighting. Check that ventilation is adequate. Keep the work area tidy throughout the operation. Only use the approved flint guns supplied for the purpose to ignite oxy propane flames.

3.1.5 Personal Protective Equipment

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SI 033 WELDING and CUTTING

Goggles, screens, helmets and protective clothing must be used in all welding, cutting, chipping and grinding operations. Ensure that anyone nearby who may be exposed to the radiation and flash from this type of work are also protected. Use gloves or gauntlets made of leather, or some other non-ignitable material, to shield the hands and arms from the radiation of the arc and from the sparks. Use sleeves of similar material in addition to gloves if gauntlets are not worn.

3.2

GAS WELDING AND BURNING 3.2.1 General

See Standing Instruction Storage and handling of Gas Cylinders.

3.2.2 VENTILATION and BREATHING APPARATUS FOR GAS WELDING

Breathing Apparatus must be worn if the operation involves the application of an oxypropane flame to sheet metal, coated with metallic lead, zinc, lead paints or other injurious substances. Unless there is good thorough ventilation, an air-line breathing apparatus mask must be worn when carrying out oxy-propane cutting or welding in a confined space. Ventilation is better effected by extraction fans / air-movers than by blowing fresh air into the confined space. Compressed oxygen must never be used for ventilating purposes Cylinders of compressed gas must always be kept outside any enclosed space where welding / cutting is taking place.

3.3

ELECTRIC ARC WELDING AND BURNING 3.3.1 Electrical Supply and Connections
All welding sets, cables, connectors and terminations must be maintained in good condition. Electrical supply and earthing connections, to welding transformers and generator sets, must be made, maintained (and condemned if necessary) by a competent electrician. All supplies for welding equipment must be made with approved cables and approved plug boxes, and must be controlled from a circuit which includes protection sensitive to earth fault currents. Where stationary transformers or generator sets are being used, a suitable switch must be mounted adjacent to the equipment to isolate it from the supply main.

3.3.2 WELDING LEADS

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Reviewed by : EB

Approved by : CMS

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5 1 Sept. 05

SI 033 WELDING and CUTTING

Portable transformers or generator sets having trailing leads, must be provided with interlocked fused switch sockets and plugs, protecting both trailing cable and equipment. All leads must be properly terminated and lead cable couplers and terminations must be of adequate current carrying capacity. The connections at the work piece must be made by bolting or clamping firmly as near as possible to the point at which welding is to take place. Where more than one operator is working from the same welding machine, the polarity of each welding lead and welding return must be the same.

3.3.3 ELECTRODE HOLDERS

Electrode holders must be provided with a handle of tough insulating, non-ignitable material with a guard disc of similar material between the hand of the operator and the welding tool.

Prepared by : RP

Reviewed by : EB

Approved by : CMS