Arc Welding Safety

[Glenn]

Lincoln Electric has an article on Arc Welding Safety that lists a bunch of stuff including when you should use a shade 12 welding goggle.

[Don A]

Thanks, Glenn.

Just getting aquainted with the new buzz-box (Lincoln 225), so this should be very helpful.

Don

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

Interestingly enough,
My daytime job is working data entry for an online stock photography company, Jupiterimages (Thank you bachelors in writing.) As soon as I opened the .pdf I recognized this picture.

http://images.jupiterimages.com/ji/c...9/22750985.jpg

I personally did some of the data entry on that one. The other's looked familiar also, but I didn't feel like mucking through a couple thousand sailboat pictures and young adults hiking to find their item numbers. Small world after all!

-Aaron @ the SCF

[Dr Dean]

I use a #9 or 10 lens myself. I just can't see what I'm doing with any darker lens.

[Glenn]

You ever try to put a 500 w light near and pointed at the subject? Makes a lot of difference in being able to see your work.

[Ron Hicks]

I bet using a light would help alot- Jr told me about the Gold colored lens I like them.
What about the fumes - could I use a fan blowing or would that cause problems?
Ive seen the vaccum at the welding supply but $1000.00

I got a wiff or two did not seem to good for the lungs
Ron

[Glenn]

From Lincoln Electric Literature
This is a 24 page PDF document.


The fume plume contains solid particles from the consumables,base metal, and base metal coating. For common mild steel arc welding, depending on the amount and length of exposure to these fumes, most immediate or short term effects are temporary, and include symptoms of burning eyes and skin, dizziness, nausea, and fever. For example, zinc fumes can cause metal fume fever, a temporary illness that is similar to the flu. Long-term exposure to welding fumes can lead to siderosis (iron deposits in the lungs) and may affect pulmonary function. Bronchitis and some lung fibrosis have been reported.

There is one easy way to reduce the risk of exposure to hazardous fumes and gases: keep your head out of the fume plume! As obvious as this sounds, the failure to follow this advice is a common cause of fume and gas overexposure because the concentration of fume and gases is greatest in the plume. Keep fumes and gases from your breathing zone and general area using natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation,fixed or moveable exhaust hoods or local exhaust at the arc. Finally, it may be necessary to wear an approved respirator if adequate ventilation cannot be provided.

Ventilation
There are many methods which can be selected by the user to provide adequate ventilation for the specific application. The following section provides general information which may be
helpful in evaluating what type of ventilation equipment may be suitable for your application. When ventilation equipment is installed, you should confirm worker exposure is controlled within applicable OSHA PEL and/or ACGIH TLV. According to OSHA regulations, when welding and cutting (mild steels), natural ventilation is usually considered sufficient to meet requirements, provided that:

1. The room or welding area contains at least 10,000 cubic feet (about 22' x 22' x 22') for each welder.

2. The ceiling height is not less than 16 feet.

3. Cross ventilation is not blocked by partitions, equipment, or other structural barriers.

4. Welding is not done in a confined space.

Spaces that do not meet these requirements should be equipped with mechanical ventilating equipment that exhausts at least 2000 cfm of air for each welder, except where local exhaust hoods or booths, or air-line respirators are used.

[Glenn]

Additional information

AWS Fumes and Gases Fact Sheet

American Welding Society Safety and Health



MSDS This is a link to the MSDS page on welding rods.

[Ted T]

Glenn,
Thank you for effort to continuously promote safety in blacksmithing.
I don’t have the talent to write in such a way to effectively express how important safety aspects should always be infused in the work process.
I can attest that potential safety issues and safety solutions should be considered as important as the whole project. I have seen the aftermath men who were killed or crippled, which resulted in them living life as vegetables.

In most cases I investigated, the person involved knew better than to do what they did. They were willing to take a chance with their own safety in order to save time or additional expense. Because they took a short cut with safety, they and their families got to experience everything that comes with being killed or injured.

What scares me is that on occasion I still find my self taking short cuts at the expense of personal safety.
Safety Plan (B). My safety plan (B) is that as soon as I realize what I am doing is unsafe, I STOP. Then, I ADJUST. I found it was more productive, less painful, and less expensive to “Stop and Adjust” than to risk who knows what?
I owe it to myself, my wife, and family to be responsible for my safety!
Again, Thank You!
Be safe!
Ted

[ralphy]

Glenn,
I work as a millright in heavy industry,and i fully agree that safety should be first and foremost.
some of the welders I've worked around use a #11 inside and #12 outside
a light inside is always a plus.
don't breath the fumes, they are NOT good for you!
If you must weld galvanized grind the area well!! and if you have a resperator
wear it the fumes are POISONOUS, and will makes you sick at the least
Every one probly knows this, but we all need a reminder now and then.
thank you.
Ralphy