VHS English Version Product Number: 1011HEVHS
DVD English Version Product Number: 1011HEDVD
Length of Video(in Minutes): 11
Publisher: Digital-2000, Inc.
Description: An excellent review of ARC welding safety, safety hazards, and health hazards associated with this type of welding operation
Excerpt: When you're working with ARC Welding operations there are anumber of safety procedures to follow. Each company is responsible fordeveloping specific guidelines policies and procedures as a short videotraining program cannot list all potential hazards or safety elements. Thisprogram is simply a guideline of basic safety measures designed as safetyawareness, but it's not a complete or comprehensive program.
Let's begin with the area used for such operations. Let'sbegin with the area used for such operations. The work area must be protectedagainst fire hazards posed by combustible and flammable materials. Combustiblesmust be located at least 35 feet from the worksite. If this is not possiblecombustibles must be protected with flame proof covers, or metal, or otherfireproof shielding. Floors on which combustible materials such as paperclippings, wood shavings, or textile fibers accumulate must be swept clean fora radius of 35 feet. Keep in mind that welding temperatures are extremely highand welding on metal can create heat transfer from the metal part tocombustible materials located nearby.
Welding operations have caused a high number of major fires.Due to the potential for fires, explosions, and health hazards, ARC weldingmust be carefully controlled. Never weld or cut in the presence of mixtures offlammable gases, vapors, liquids, or dusts with air, or inside improperlycleaned tanks or equipment which had previously contained such material. Neverweld or cut near large quantities of exposed, readily ignitable material, suchas bulk sulfur, baled paper, or cotton. Never weld or cut near vapor degreasingoperations, or spray booths due to the potential fire hazards. Some chemicalscan decompose under the ultraviolet radiation of the welding or cuttingoperation and become quite dangerous. Always weld only in those areasauthorized by management. Protection in the form of curtain or enclosures isrequired when other persons could be harmed by the effects of the flying slag,or eye hazards.
All ARC welding equipment must be designed to operate in thegases, dusts, and light rays produced by the welding ARC. Under unusualenvironmental conditions such as the presence of corrosive fumes, steam, orexcessive humidity, oil vapors, inclement weather, or seacoast, or shipboardoperations special safety features may be required. Remember to follow allprinted rules and operating instructions supplied by the manufacturer. Don'toperate ARC welders in wet environments, and dry all machines and equipmentthat have become wet before attempting to weld. Before drying wet equipmentmake sure you disconnect the primary power first. When making connections incabling spread out coiled welding cable prior to use, and check weld leadcables for damaged insulation and work lead cables for exposed conductors.Replace all weld leads spliced within 10 feet of the holder. Check electrodeholders for loose or exposed connections to reduce the shock hazard. Check forleaks in gas hoses if metal inert gas process is used. Do not coil or loopelectrode cable around parts of your body. Grounding is critical. So check toensure the welding machine frame is grounded with special attention to groundconnections. Do not ground to pipelines carrying gases or flammable liquids orconduits carrying electrical conductors. If floor surfaces have been wetteddown special precautions must be taken against electrical shock. Do not groundto a building structure remote from the weld. If the process being usedrequires open circuit or no load voltages higher than the voltages indicated inthe graphic shown adequate insulation must be provided to prevent shock. For ACwelding under wet conditions such as where perspiration is a problem, areliable automatic control should be used to reduce the no load voltage. Thiswill prevent shock. Do not change the polarity switch when the machine is underload. The arcing due to high current can burn the switch contact surface orcause serious burns to the welding. Check to machine the welding machine has apower disconnect switch. This allows an immediate shut down in case of anemergency. A machine should not be used unless it has such a switch.