Welding Safety Tips, Precautions and Rules
Introduction:
A welding work joins separate pieces of metal(s) to create a metallic bond and gives a unique shape. You know there are different welding methods such as arc welding, gas welding, MIG welding, TIG welding, cold-pressure, etc. Although not very difficult to do, the welding process is quite sensitive. Ensuring safety is the topmost concern of the welder around the world. Before you start the welding job, consider the safety measures. We offer you a comprehensive guideline on ten things you must consider before starting a welding job.
1. Welding is Not a Tough Job It Requires a Lot of Precautions
We can assure you that welding is not difficult to work what you think. For doing the work, you need to be cautious. It is just like cooking a dish with full attention so that your dish doesn’t get ruined or you don’t burn the hands.
2. Wear an Industrial Grade Welding Helmet
You don’t need to show your extra courage and bravery for starting the welding work without wearing a welding helmet of industrial grade. A helmet will save your face and eyes while welding. Wearing the helmet will give you a cool look like a popular Marvel Character!!
3. Read the Instructions Before Using Your Machine
You will find the instruction manual with your welding set. Make sure that you have read this manual properly before starting our job. It will help you to avoid any unwanted hazards. Your indifference to reading and understanding the manual well, you can experience electric shocks, fire, or even explosions.
4. Wear Apron, Safety Glasses, and Gloves for Avoiding Injuries
Welding arcs are highly intense that can cause the most phenomenal skin injury to the welders. The injury can sometimes damage the skin very seriously. So you must wear apron and flame-resistant gloves that will prevent the possibility of burn of your hands & wrists and cut or other scratches. You may have a question in mind as to why it is important to wear safety glasses when you put an industrial-grade helmet on the head covering the eyes too. You need to know that safety glasses will protect your valuable eyes from flying particles in the project site. Experts suggest that you always put on welding jackets, goggles, or safety glasses with side shields that will prevent you from sparks and other debris to hit the eyes.
5. Work in a Well-Ventilated Area or Get a Movable Hood
If the area you are welding in has a poor ventilation system, you may feel suffocation and sickness due to hazardous fumes. You know fume problem is common phenomenon in the welding industry, and it can lead to your short-term and long-term health damage. Fumes can cause asthma, bronchitis, irritation of the airways, etc. So your welding area must have adequate ventilation and exhaust system to keep out the perilous fumes and gases. You can use fixed or movable exhaust hoods, fans, etc. to remove the gas. You should set the hood close to the source of fume.
6. Use The Right Welding Set Up
There is no alternative to using the right welding set up. You must keep in mind that your negligence over the right choice issue will lead to jeopardizing the purpose. As a welder, you should use good weld positions and escape ducking. For moving the work-pieces, you should use turntables to keep away fume from your face. Also, be cautious to select the right electrode that produces less fume.
7. Avoid Excessive Current and Long Welding
If you follow an incorrect welding technique, if there is incorrect travel speed or incorrect electrode positioning, you may experience undercut. Long arc and high currents are also responsible for undercut. Experts recommend that you don’t hurry or apply too long welding. Rather take a deep breathe, wait and take regular intervals for completing the job smoothly.
8. Use Earmuffs or Earplugs
Earmuff is a headphone-like product that prevents metal sparks and the airborne particles from entering into your ears. It protects you from excessive noise. As a welder, you have 8 hours a day within a high noise level that increases the chance of damage to your eardrum and other sensitive parts of the inner part of the hearing system. You surely don’t want to be deaf. So you must purchase an earmuff while buying the welding set.
9. Take Professional/Vocational Training of Welding
There are lots of risks involved in welding jobs. So training may help to eradicate the risks. You should take part in the training programs to become aware and get practical knowledge of the basic hazards and their remedies. You can experience practical exposure to different levels of welders from the training session. As a welder, you need hands-on training to know how to handle the weld materials, various updated protective gear, and proper set up of welding equipment.
10. Safety is Mandatory Not an Option
Keep in mind that it is not wise to keep safety as an option only. Rather employ it as a must follow the rules. It will help to save your health and life. Assess the risk of the welding job beforehand so that you can do proper planning on how to curb those risks down through standard practices. You should abide by the existing laws and rules on welding as promulgated by the Authority of your locality.
Conclusion:
You should be very careful about the clean factor of your welding area. Let not your area become dirty and noisy. You may require to handle the heavy & awkward metals manually when needed. Because lighter and thinner metal sheets have sharp edges that could be perilous at any time. Be aware of the thick cables for which slips, trips, and falls are very common in the welding area. Follow the standard safety and protection practices all the time to avoid unwanted hazards.
