Safety Practices For Fabrication Shop Work

Fires blown up due to welding are avoidable, if workers follow those safeguards & practices prescribed by workshop administration before stepping into it, then precious lives could be saved from loss. 1.4% residential fires & 10% commercial fires reported in Irving – Texas due to welding accidents in 2002. Negligence in preventive measures give rise to such incidents, workers could overcome them by adopting prescribed standards of protection.

It is necessary for welders whether they are professional or unprofessional to know about potential threat of catching fire on fabrication shop, as work at high currents during make and break of connections.

Must do Checkups:
First thing first, before getting into work you should examine:

• Equipment’s health, 
• Working & surrounding area, 
• Available items to minimize hazards and 
• Measures that can ensure safety.

Checking of Equipment:
In order to avoid any accidents, the installation of the welding equipment should be done by qualified technicians, which can ensure about the connectivity as well as operation of apparatus according to manufacturer’s instructions. However, installed equipment correct operation i.e. cable, electrode holder and coupling devices is verified at welder’s end, he should be competent enough to identify, recover or report about the defects. The welder should make sure each time he uses the equipment, the external connections are clean & tight, clamp of wire has firm grip to grab the workpiece and appropriate distance between welding point & workpiece.

Reduction of Electric Shock Risk:
In arc welding, the major hazard that you might come across is the arc radiation and electric shock, it may occur due to appearance with live parts i.e. electrodes and workpiece of welding circuit. Certified welding shops use proper safety & protection system, as voltage seepage during rainy season increases as compared to normal.

More than One Welding Operations at One Workpiece:
There is a huge risk of electric shock when more than one workpieces have physical or electrical connection. Complete isolation of workpieces should be observed, else it will increase the probability of electrocuted in case of simultaneous connection.

Outdoor Working:
While working outdoor welding repair the possibility of moisture increases, it also increases voltage leakage. In such case, system requires sufficient level of waterproofing, for enclosures the ingress protection (IP) codes should be:

• IP 23 protection against water spray <60 degrees from vertical
• IP 24 protection against water spray from any direction

In case of rainfall, welder, equipment & workpiece should have complete protection from moisture.

Some Safety Practices to Avoid Tragic Situations:
The safety practices are as follows:

• The welders should takeoff ornaments like rings and metallic straps before getting started with work.
• The clothing like gloves, boots & overalls should be used to protect from electric shock.
• The external connection of the welding apparatus should be checked on daily basis, whether connections clean and fixed or not.
• The electrode of manual metal arc welding (MMAW) should have insulation for protection, to change the electrode.
• High frequency (HF) can make welder feel electric shock, HF could affect even through small hole in glove.