CHAPTER 2

APPLY SAFETY PRACTICES

IDENTIFY HAZARDOUS AREA

2.1.1 HAZARDS ARE IDENTIFIED CORRECTLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH

OHS PRINCIPLES.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation requires that all foreseeable
hazards are identified and the risks arising from these hazards are eliminated
or controlled.

Risk management is a legal requirement for all businesses regardless of their

size and basically it involves asking the following questions:

 what hazards exist in the workplace?

 how serious are the hazards?
 what can be done to control these hazards?

Risk management is a four step process whereby you identify hazards in the
workplace, then assess the risk of those hazards and then implement control
measures, which will eliminate or minimize the risk of injury from the hazards
you identified.

Control measures which have been put in place must be reviewed periodically
to check that they actually fix the problem, without creating another one.

Step 1: hazard identification

Hazards can be identified through:

 workplace inspections
 incident reporting
 register of injuries
 consultation with employees
 feedback from employees.

There are a number of business activities which can involve risk to safety.
These can include:
  Purchasing: the equipment or chemicals purchased to run your
business may introduce safety issues (e.g. plant and equipment; cleaning
agents)
 Work activities: in carrying out work tasks the physical and
psychological demands of the tasks, equipment used, working
environment can place employees at risk (e.g. repetitive movements,
length of time spent on the computer, air quality, materials handling)
 Contractors/casual employees/customers: other workers who come
into the workplace can be at risk or place your employees at risk from
the work activities they conduct (e.g. cleaning agents used by cleaners,
electrical contractors, verbal abuse by customers).

Step 2: risk assessment

Risk Assessment determines how likely and how serious the effects will be on
people in the workplace being exposed to the hazard. Work out which hazards
are most serious and deal with them first. To assess the risk, you should
consider:

 the type of hazard

 how severely could the hazard injure or cause illness (consequence)
 how likely is this consequence going to happen (likelihood)
 the frequency and duration of exposure
 who it may effect
 capabilities
 skills, experience and age of people
 Layout and condition of the working environment.

Step 3: risk control

Risk Control involves deciding what needs to be done to eliminate or control
the risks to health and safety. Where possible, you should always try to remove
or eliminate the problem from the workplace, for example by using a different
process, or changing the way a job is done.

If it is not possible to eliminate the hazard, the Hierarchy of Risk Control must
be used to determine the most effective measures to minimise the risks.

Hierarchy of risk control

1. Design or reorganise to eliminate the hazard from the workplace: try to

ensure that hazards are designed out when new materials, equipment and
work systems are being planned for the workplace.

2. Remove or substitute the hazard: where possible remove the hazard or

substitute with less hazardous materials, equipment or substances.

3. Enclose or isolate the hazard: this can be done through the use of
barriers, introducing a strict work area, enclosing a noisy process from a
person.

4. Minimise through engineering controls: this can be done through the use
of machine guards, effective ventilation systems etc.

5. Minimise the risk by adopting administrative controls: establish

appropriate procedures and safe work practices such as job rotation to reduce
exposure time or boredom; timing the work so that fewer employees are
exposed; routine maintenance and housekeeping procedures; training on
hazards and correct work methods.

6. Personal Protective Equipment: provide suitable and properly maintained

personal protective equipment and ensure employees are trained in its proper
use (examples include gloves, earplugs etc.).

If no single control is appropriate, a combination of the above controls needs to

be taken to minimise the risk to the lowest level that is reasonably practicable.

Step 4: review

Periodic reviews of control measures and risk assessments should be

conducted to ensure the control measures implemented are appropriate and
effective and the risk assessments are still valid. This can be achieved through
safety audits, regular workplace inspections, consultation with employees and
review of incident investigations. Risk management should be built into all
workplace activities that can give rise to safety issues.

Awareness of the most common welding hazards and knowing how to avoid
them ensures a safe, productive work environment for all.
Radiation and Burn Hazards
 Visible light and Arc Flash
 Infrared energy
 Burns (radiation)
 Burns (contact)

Explosion Hazards
 Gasses
 Flammable liquids
 Flammable solids
 Oxidizing substances
 Corrosive substances
 Mass explosion
 Explosion, fragment producing
 Mass fire
 SAFETY/HAZARD AWARENESS NOTICE (CONT.)

Poisonous /Hazardous Fumes

 Welding base metals and fillers to include:
 Aluminum
 Brass/Bronze
 Cadmium
 Chromium
 Copper
 Iron
 Lead
 Manganese
 Mercury
 Nickel
 Zinc

QUIZ # 

Fires and Electrical Shock

 Class A, B, C and D fires
 High electrical current

All personnel must have a comprehensive knowledge of emergency procedures

which prescribe courses of action to be followed in the event of an equipment
failure of human error as stated in the Pre-Mishap Plan. In addition, you are
responsible for the following general safety precautions

a. Each individual shall report for work rested and emotionally prepared for
the task at hand.

b. You shall use normal prudence in all your functions, commensurate with
the work at hand.

c. You shall report any unsafe conditions, or any equipment or material

which you consider to be unsafe, and any unusual or developing
hazards.

d. You shall warn others whom you believe to be endangered by known

hazards or by failure to observe safety precautions, and any unusual or
developing hazards.
 e. You shall report to the school staff any accident, injury, or evidence of
impaired health occurring in the course of your work.

f. You shall wear or use the protective clothing or equipment, or both of the
type required, approved and supplied for the safe performance of your
work.

g. All trainees in the immediate vicinity of a designated hazardous noise

area or noise hazardous operation shall wear the appropriate protective
hearing devices.

h. You must always observe appropriate safety precautions when working

around electrical circuits and equipment to avoid injury or death from
electrical shocks and short circuits.

Electric shock
Electric shock is one of the most serious and immediate risks facing a welder.
Electric shock can lead to severe injury or death, either from the shock itself or
from a fall caused by the reaction to a shock.

Electric shock occurs when welders touch two metal objects that have a voltage
between them, thereby inserting themselves into the electrical circuit. For
instance, if a worker holds a bare wire in one hand and a second bare wire with
another, electric current will pass through that wire and through the welding
operator, causing an electric shock. The higher the voltage, the higher the
current and, thus the higher the risk for the electric shock to result in injury or
death.

The most common type of electric shock is secondary voltage shock from an arc
welding circuit, which ranges from 20 to 100 volts. Bear in mind that even a
shock of 50 volts or less can be enough to injure or kill an operator, depending
on the conditions. Due to its constant change in polarity, alternating current
(AC) voltage is more likely to stop the heart than direct current (DC) welders. It
is also more likely to make the person holding the wire unable to let go.
 It’s important to remember to never touch the electrode or metal parts of the
electrode holder with skin or welding clothing and insulate yourself from the
work and ground.

To avoid secondary voltage shock, welding operators should wear dry gloves in
good condition, never touch the electrode or metal parts of the electrode holder
with skin or wet clothing and be sure to insulate themselves from the work and
ground, keeping dry insulation between their body and the metal being welded
or ground (such as a metal floor or wet surface).

Welding operators also should inspect the electrode holder for damage before
beginning to weld and keep the welding cable and electrode holder insulation
in good condition, because the plastic or fiber insulation on the electrode
holder prevents contact with the electrically “hot” metal parts inside. Always be
sure to repair or replace damaged insulation before use. And remember, stick
electrodes are always electrically hot, even when welding is not being done and
the voltage is the highest.

An even more serious shock, primary voltage shock, may occur when a welder
touches electrically “hot” parts inside the welder case or the electric
distribution system to which the welder is connected. This action can lead to a
shock of 230 or 460 volts.

When not in use, but still turned on, most welding equipment have a voltage
that ranges from 20 to 100 volts at the welding circuit and voltages inside the
welding equipment may range from 120 volts to more than 575 volts, all of
which pose a risk for electric shock. Only qualified repair technicians should
attempt to service or repair welding equipment.

Fumes and gases

It’s no surprise that overexposure to welding fumes and gases can be
hazardous to your health. Welding fume contains potentially harmful complex
metal oxide compounds from consumables, base metal and the base-metal
coatings, so it’s important to keep your head out of the fumes and use enough
ventilation and/or exhaust to control your exposure to substances in the fume,
depending on the type of rod and base metal being used.

The specific potential health effects which relate to the welding consumable
product being used can be found in the Health Hazard Data section of the
Safety Data Sheet available from your employer or the consumable
manufacturer.

Welding areas require adequate ventilation and local exhaust to keep fumes
and gases from the breathing zone and the general area. In most situations,
employers will provide a ventilation system- such as a fan, and an exhaust
system or fixed or removable exhaust hoods- to remove fumes and gases from
the work area.

Welding areas require adequate ventilation and local exhaust to keep fumes and
gases from the breathing zone and the general area.

All welding operators should be aware that there are ACGIH threshold limit
values (TLV) and OSHA permissible exposure limits (PEL) for the substances in
welding fume. These limits specify the amount of a substance in your breathing
air to which welding operators can be exposed every day they work over the
course of their career. Welding operators should wear an approved respirator
unless exposure assessments are below applicable exposure limits. An
industrial hygienist takes an air sample in the worker’s breathing zone to
determine whether a worker’s exposure is below the exposure limits.

If the air in your breathing zone is not clear, or if breathing is uncomfortable,

check to be sure the ventilation equipment is working and report concerns to a
supervisor so your exposure to substances in the welding fume can be
checked. This is especially important when welding with stainless steel or
hardfacing products. To prevent exposure from coatings such as paint,
galvanizing, or metal platings on base metals, clean the base metal before
beginning to weld. See a doctor if symptoms from overexposure persist.

Fire and explosions

The welding arc creates extreme temperatures, and may pose a significant fire
and explosions hazard if safe practices are not followed. While the welding arc
may reach temperatures of 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the real danger is not
from the arc itself, but rather the intense near the arc and the heat, sparks and
spatter created by the arc. This spatter can reach up to 35 feet away from the
welding space.

To prevent fires, before beginning to weld, inspect the work area for any
flammable materials and remove them from the area. Flammable materials are
comprised of three categories: liquid, such as gasoline, oil and paint; solid,
such as wood, cardboard and paper; gas, including acetylene, propane and
hydrogen.
Fume Exhaust systems can be augmented with a fire safety solution system like
the Lincoln Electric Guardian system, designed to aid fire prevention, detection
and suppression within the fume control system.

Know where the fire alarms and extinguishers are located, and check the
extinguisher’s gauge to make sure it is full. If an extinguisher is not available,
be sure to have access to fire hoses, sand buckets or other equipment that
douses fire. And, know the location of the nearest fire exit.

If welding within 35 feet of flammable materials, have a fire watcher nearby to

keep track of sparks, and remain in the work area for at least 30 minutes after
finishing welding to be sure there are no smoldering fires. Put a fire resistant
material, such as a piece of sheet metal or fire resistant blanket, over any
flammable materials within the work area, if you can’t remove them.

In an elevated location, make sure no flammable materials are beneath you,

and watch out for other workers below you in order to prevent dropping sparks
or spatter on them. Even high concentrations of fine dust particles may cause
explosions or flash fires. If a fire starts, don’t panic – and call the fire
department immediately.

Injuries from insufficient PPE

Personal protective equipment (PPE) helps keep welding operators free from
injury, such as burns – the most common welding injury – and exposure to arc
rays. The right PPE allows for freedom of movement while still providing
adequate protection from welding hazards.

Thanks to their durability and fire resistance, leather and flame-resistant

treated cotton clothing is recommended in welding environments. This is
because synthetic material such as polyester or rayon will melt when exposed
to extreme heat. Welding leathers are especially recommended when welding
out of position, such as applications that require vertical or overhead welding.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) helps keep welding operators free from
injury, such as burns – the most common welding injury – and exposure to arc
rays.

Avoid rolling up sleeves or pant cuffs, as sparks or hot metal will deposit in the
folds and may burn through the material. Keep pants over the top of work
boots – don’t tuck them in. Even when wearing a helmet, always wear safety
glasses with side shields or goggles to prevent sparks or other debris from
hitting the eyes. Leather boots with 6-to-8-inch ankle coverage are the best foot
protection; metatarsal guards over the shoe laces can protect feet from falling
objects and sparks. It will not be pleasant if a hot piece of spatter finds its way
inside your clothing or shoes.

Heavy, flame-resistant gloves should always be worn to protect from burns,

cuts and scratches. As long as they are dry, they also should provide some
protection from electric shock. Leather is a good choice for gloves.

Helmets with side shields are essential for protecting eyes and skin from
exposure to arc rays. Make sure to choose the right shade lens for your process
– use the helmet’s instructions to help select the right shade level. Begin with a
darker filter lens and gradually change to a lighter shade until you have good
visibility at the puddle and weld joint but it is comfortable and does not irritate
your eyes. Helmets also protect from sparks, heat and electric shock. Welder’s
flash from improper eye protection may cause extreme discomfort, swelling or
temporary blindness, so don’t take any risks – wear a helmet at all times
during welding.

To protect ears from noise, wear hearing protection if working in an area with
high noise levels. Doing so will protect your hearing from damage, as well as
well prevent metal and other debris from entering the ear canal. Choose ear
plugs or ear muffs to protect the ears.

Other safety considerations

Welders should also be aware of other safety considerations within the work
environment. For example, those working in a confined space or in an elevated
area make need to take extra precautions. In any welding situation, welding
operators should pay close attention safety information on the products being
used and the material safety data sheets provided by the manufacturer and
work with their employer and co-workers to follow appropriate safe practices
for their workplace.

Good common sense is also key. If opening cans of electrode, keep hands away
from sharp edges. Remove clutter and debris from the welding area to prevent
tripping or falling. And never use broken or damaged equipment or PPE. To
keep up with the most recent safety practices, welding operators should utilize
resources from the American Welding Society (AWS), OSHA and welding
manufacturers, such as Lincoln Electric’s online Interactive Safety Guide. By
following these safe practices and using common sense, operators can stay safe
and keep production moving with no lost-time accidents.

QUIZ # 