Safety Practices for Welding & Metalworking

September 3, 2024|Industrial Hygiene in the Workplace, Welding

By: Barbara T. Nessinger, Editor-in-Chief

The American Welding Society estimates that approximately 50% of the U.S. GNP is affected by welding. Anything made of metal, large or small, can be welded. Welding is the most common method used to join metal parts in large structures and equipment, due to its strength. Soldering and brazing are similar processes to welding, but they are used on electronic and other small equipment and use lower temperatures to melt the filler metal.

Most welding falls into one of two categories: arc welding (the use of an electrical arc to melt the work materials) and torch welding (the use of an oxyacetylene torch to melt the working material and welding rod). There are more than 100 welding processes; most involve a skilled worker using a high-heat torch; filler material that is usually in wire or stick form; and pressure to permanently bond metal pieces.

Hazards in Welding/Metalworking

Welding, cutting, brazing and grinding can all create significant fire and explosion risks, due to generating hot sparks and/or slag. Those can then come into contact with nearby combustibles and flammable gases.

Most welding safety practices and equipment are universally applicable. Welding exposes everyone to similar hazards, from a welding-intensive manufacturing company; a billion-dollar engineering and construction firm; a small independent fabricator; or someone responsible for safety in the workplace. Wearing the proper PPE equipment keeps welders (and watchers) safe from multiple hazards.

Moreover, when welding safety becomes an ingrained part of the corporate culture, there can be fewer reduced lost-time incidences and improved productivity. [See sidebar “Prevent Welding Accidents.”]

When welding safety becomes an ingrained part of the corporate culture, there can be fewer lost-time incidences and improved productivity. © stetsko – stock.adobe.com

Safety Matters: Proper Clothing

It can’t be overstated: Wearing the proper gear for any welding activity is of paramount importance. Even quick work, like tack welding, requires the proper safety gear, including helmet, gloves and clothing. Shorts and short-sleeved shirts should never be worn.

Workers should wear only flame-resistant clothing, such as denim pants and a shirt made from tightly woven material or a welding jacket. Makers of safety gear now produce lightweight clothing from flame-resistant cloth, pigskin leather or combinations of the two that offer better protection and increased ease of movement than welding jackets/clothing of the past. Such work gear is not cumbersome nor too heavy, hot or restrictive.

Proper footwear is also important. High-top leather shoes or boots provide the best foot protection. Pants legs should go over the shoes. Shoes should never be made of cloth.

Welding gloves are available with ergonomically curved fingers and come in different designs for specific welding processes. MIG welding is the most popular weld for a broad range of applications. The heat levels are less than in stick welding, and the user operates a welding gun with a trigger requiring more dexterity. MIG gloves tend to be lighter weight than stick gloves and, most importantly, have enhanced dexterity.

Heavy-to-medium duty MIG/Stick gloves and TIG gloves that provide added dexterity and touch are just some of the options available. However, gloves are not sufficient to pick up just-welded material—pliers should always be used to avoid burns.

Prevent Welding Accidents

Following these specific safety precautions and control measures can help minimize risks associated with metalwork/
welding activities. (Sources: OSHA & NIOSH)

Hot Work Permit: Before any hot work activity is done, obtain a hot work permit.
Zero LEL Level: The Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) level should be zero before starting hot work. This requires verifying that there are no flammable vapors or substances present in the work area.
Isolation and Gas Testing: Work on tanks, vessels or piping should be done only after isolation from flammable hazards. Gas testing should be conducted in a 15-meter radius around the hot work area.
Protect Elevated Work Areas: When welding in elevated areas where fire spatter might fall, restrict access to that area and cover with fire blankets.
Welding Booth & Fire Blankets: Establish a dedicated welding booth at the work location, fully covered with fire blankets to help contain sparks and flames.
Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety: Adhere to proper guidelines for handling, storage and transportation of compressed gas cylinders to prevent accidents and gas leaks.
Housekeeping: Maintain good housekeeping practices at the work site. Remove all combustible materials within an 25-foot radius of the hot work area and keep the work area clean and free of flammable substances.
Fire Extinguishing Equipment: Ensure that suitable fire extinguishing equipment is always available and is routinely maintained.
Fire Watcher: Assign a trained fire watcher to oversee hot work areas.
Equipment Inspection: Routine inspections of both welding machines and power tools should ensure they are in good working condition and pose no safety risks.
Equipment Placement: Position welding equipment, gas cylinders, etc., where it minimizes hazards to workers.

It’s important to maintain good housekeeping practices at the welding work site by removing combustible materials and keeping the work area clean and free of flammable substances. © nuttawutnuy – stock.adobe.com

Must-Haves: Helmets

A welding helmet is a must-have piece of PPE, beginning with light exposure protection. It takes only a moment of exposure to a welding arc’s rays for unprotected eyes to experience “arc flash,” which is a painful condition that might not appear until hours after the worker’s eyes are exposed. Be sure welding helmets are fitted with a proper filter shade to protect the operator’s face and eyes, as well.

Auto-darkening welding helmets can reduce operator fatigue. The sensors on an auto-darkening helmet darken the lens in a fraction of a second. All auto-darkening helmets must meet ANSI standards, the most recent being ANSI Z87.1-2003.

Industrial-grade helmets react at speeds of 1/10,000 to 1/20,000 of a second and have adjustable shades settings of #9 to #13 for welding. Industrial-grade helmets also have adjustable sensitivity and delay controls to adjust how long the lens stays dark after the arc stops. Auto-darkening helmets that darken with a reaction time of 1/20,000 to 1/30,000 of a second should generally be avoided for industrial applications. It’s important to note that cold weather delays the reaction time of auto-darkening helmets. Higher-end helmets are rated for use to 14° F, but lower-end helmets have slower reaction times and might not darken quickly enough in cold weather.

Some of the newer helmets have different modes, allowing the same helmet to be used for welding, cutting or grinding. The most recent development is a mode that senses the arc electromagnetically, offering full protection when the sensors are obstructed, such as when pipe welding or welding out-of-position.

All Eyes Here

Approved safety glasses with side shields and ear protection should also be worn under a welding helmet. The lens shade should be appropriate for the welding application; OSHA offers a guide for choosing the correct lens based on certain welding criteria. If welding parameters and materials don’t vary, a fixed-shade lens could be the best choice.

Welders use welding glasses or goggles to provide protection to their eyes from heat, intense ultraviolet or infrared light, and flying debris during welding and cutting operations (see “Additional Resources,” below). If these are not used, it can lead to a severe burn of the cornea known as photokeratitis, or welder’s flash. Welding glasses provide a degree of eye protection against some types of welding and cutting but are not suitable for arc welding.

Welding is a common workplace task that requires a great deal of knowledge, training and patience to perform properly and safely. Most welders understand how to perform their jobs—it is the employers’ responsibility to make sure they also understand the inherent hazards and how to implement proper welding safety. IHW

Resources:

Stay in Compliance

Visit https://www.workplacepub.com/stay-in-compliance/osha-1926-350-gas-welding-cutting/ for an in-depth article covering OSHA’s 1926.350-Gas Welding & Cutting standard.

IHW’s February 2024 “Regulatory Review” delves into OSHA’s lead standards, which directly affects the welding industry. https://industrialhygienepub.com/industrial-hygiene-in-the-workplace/spotlighting-oshas-lead-standards-proposed-updates-implications/

NIOSH Checklist for Arc-Welding Self-Inspection

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has many self-inspection check-lists, including for welding operations. This Self-Inspection Checklist covers regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the general industry standards 29 CFR 1910.254 and 1910.306, and the construction standards 1926.351 and 1926.353. It applies to the use of arc-welding and cutting equipment. [Go to https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-101/chklists/r1n64w~1.htm for more information.]

OSHA & ANSI Eye-Protection Guidelines

Many excellent sources exist for understanding and referencing eye protection guidelines. Some of those used for this article include: 29 CFR 1910.132, General Requirements; 29 CFR 1910.133, Eye and Face Protection; American National Standard Institute (ANSI)/ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2015. Also, see the April 2018 issue of Workplace Material Handling & Safety, page 28, for a complete list of “Eye and Face Protection Device Definitions in ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2015.”