Welding Safety Training

hi I'm Andy Legrand welcome to our program today we're going to carry the torch for safety every day welders in various industries use high temperatures to shape metal sometimes the metal is bonded together other times it's cut apart over the years engineers have developed a variety of methods for welding the combination of a spark oxygen and a flammable gas provide the energy for oxy-fuel cutting welding and brazing high-voltage electricity whether it's alone or used in tandem with various gases powers arc welding because of the heat and the materials involved these welding methods can all be very hazardous but no matter which type of welding you're working with there are things that you can do to make your work safe the first thing to do is to inspect your equipment when you're working with an oxy fuel unit make sure your torch has the right tip for the job at hand examine the cylinder valves and fittings these must be clean and clear before you connect the torch and hoses once everything's set up apply a soap solution to check for gas leaks some problems can be solved by simply tightening the connection arc welding units also need to be checked out inspect the frame of the generator for proper grounding make sure the work lead and electrode lead are properly connected and don't forget to examine cables for damaged insulation or bare conductors if left unrepaired these can cause a severe shock inspecting your equipment is a good place to start but welding presents dangers from start to finish it's important to be prepared for hazards throughout the entire process whether it's intense light flying sparks toxic fumes or electric shock you need to protect yourself and others from danger let's take a look at a hazard that all welders encounter the powerful ultraviolet and infrared light produced during welding operations is one of the first things people remember about welding unfortunately this light can be extremely hazardous if left unprotected your eyes can suffer problems like the short-term discomfort of welders flash more serious injuries like burns to the retina can permanently damage your eyesight and may even cause blindness goggles fitted with specially tinted lenses must be worn during oxy-fuel cutting welding and brazing these special lenses block hazardous light and help shield your eyes from molten spatter arc welding produces an intense light that requires even stronger protection here you'll need a helmet or hand shield these are fitted with specially designed filters which screen out armful light rays in addition to protecting your eyes the design and size of helmets and hand shields will prevent the light from burning your face neck and ears don't forget that safety glasses must still be worn underneath your helmet or hand shield for complete protection make sure all your protective equipment is in good condition before you start work if you spot any imperfections get a replacement hazardous light can affect those around you as well setting up protective screens will help shield other workers from the light generated while you well you should also warn other workers in the area before striking an arc this helps keep people from accidentally looking at the arc once you've protected yourself and others from dangerous light you need to deal with other hazards unfortunately some of these may not be so easy to see hazardous fumes are a byproduct of many welding operations without proper ventilation these fumes will collect and contaminate the air you will need to protect yourself by using exhaust fans or other mechanical ventilation devices whenever you're welding with stainless steel lead mercury fluorine compounds zinc cadmium beryllium and chemical cleaning compounds it's especially important to use mechanical ventilation in rooms with less than 10,000 cubic feet of space for welder where ceilings are lower than 16 feet and in confined spaces where regular ventilation is blocked short periods of exposure to hazardous fumes can lead to irritation to the eyes nose and throat even illnesses like metal fume fever repeated exposure over many years can lead to lung cancer and severe damage to the nervous system to avoid these problems you must maintain a healthy breathing zone this means getting lots of air flowing around your work if you're using screens or other barriers leave enough space between the barrier and the floor to allow for good air movement sometimes even mechanical ventilation devices aren't enough to protect you in these situations you'll need a respirator but before you can wear a respirator on the job you must be fit tested this ensures that the respirator you're wearing is the right size for your face it's important to remember that respirators are fitted with filters that capture hazardous fumes make sure you're using the correct filter for the fumes and gases you'll be exposed to wearing the wrong filter can lead to a disastrous situation and remember if you need to wear one of these you can't wear these you may not think of it at first but hearing protection is also a necessity on many welding jobs moving pieces of metal around and banging away at slag are just two of the things that can make a welding environment very noisy if you don't take the proper precautions you can be exposed to noise levels that can result in real problems short periods of exposure to loud noise can lead to fatigue and irritability extended exposure can lead to partial or even total earring loss to guard against these hazards you need to protect yourself with earplugs canal caps or earmuffs this will reduce the noise that your ears are exposed to if you have any questions about which hearing protection you should use ask your supervisor of course to be completely safe there are a few other things you'll need to wear as well Welding can produce a lot of heat to protect your hands you need a good strong pair of leather gloves many welding gloves offer additional protection in the form of welding here an extra piece of leather is sewn into the finger and palm of the glove this extra layer of leather protects the threads in the glove from getting burned by intense heat but even with this extra protection you need to be careful never hold heated metal with your gloves it can burn right through them if you need to manipulate hot objects use insulated clamps or other tools the type of clothing you wear also plays a role in welding safely dress in natural fibers like cotton or wool these are less likely to ignite than synthetic fibers wearing long-sleeve shirts with closable collars will protect you from hazardous light remember just like the ultraviolet light from the Sun the UV light from welding operations can burn your skin adding leather aprons and sleeves on top of what you're wearing we'll keep sparks from burning through your clothes another good idea is to wear high-top shoes these keep Sparks and molten metal away from your ankles and feet once you're dressed for work no matter what type of welding you're going to do you need to reduce the risk of fire sparks high temperatures and flammable gases can all lead to fires to combat the risk of fire many facilities limit the areas where welding can take place never begin to well unless your facility has authorized the work this will confirm that the area you will be working in is considered safe for welding operations sparks are a byproduct of just about every welding operation preventing them from starting fires requires a concentrated effort before welding remove anything that can burn from the area it's especially important not to weld around combustible materials like wood paper or fuel these ignite easily and can quickly burst into flames if they're exposed to sparks or high temperatures aerosol cans should also be removed from areas where welding is taking place these cans hold gases that are under a lot of pressure when they're exposed to intense heat the gases will expand this could cause the can to explode if there are ignitable materials in the area that can't easily be moved use guards or barriers to protect them from sparks and heat sweep up any debris that may be lying on the floor it's best to sweep in a 35 foot radius beginning at the spot where you're going to weld in the event that a fire could still ignite a trained fire watcher is required to stand by this person should know the ins and outs of firefighting and we'll be ready to extinguish a fire it breaks out remember even after you're finished welding the metal will still be very hot because of this the fire watch must be maintained for at least a half an hour after welding operations have ended welding can be a powerful tool but we to respect the dangers that it presents let's review always check out your equipment before starting any welding job follow safe work practices this way you will avoid accidents always wear the appropriate protective clothing and equipment keep your area well-ventilated make sure the air you breathe is safe and clean and work to prevent fires remove or shield any flammable objects in the welding area defeating the hazards that welding presents can be easy all you have to do is follow the rules and work safely you

Channel: TAMUFABLAB

Views: 151,230

Keywords: Welding, Training (Industry)

Id: L_spkwSjdFA

Length: 13min 19sec (799 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 14 2013