Table of Contents
Advertisement
•
Do not wear a cracked or broken helmet
and replace any cracked or broken filter
lenses IMMEDIATELY.
•
Do not allow the uninsulated portion of the
wire feed torch to touch the ground clamp
or grounded work to prevent an arc flash
from being created on contact.
•
Provide bystanders with shields or hel-
mets fitted with a #10 shade filter lens.
•
Wear protective clothing. The intense light
of the welding arc can burn the skin in
much the same way as the sun, even
through light-weight clothing. Wear dark
clothing of heavy material. The shirt worn
should be long sleeved and the collar kept
buttoned to protect chest and neck.
•
Protect against REFLECTED ARC RAYS.
Arc rays can be reflected off shiny sur-
faces such as a glossy painted surface,
aluminum, stainless steel, and glass. It is
possible for your eyes to be injured by
reflected arc rays even when wearing a
protective helmet or shield. If welding with
a reflective surface behind you, arc rays
can bounce off the surface, then off the fil-
ter lens on the inside of your helmet
or shield, then into your eyes. If a reflec-
tive background exists in your welding
area, either remove it or cover it with
something non-flammable and non-reflec-
tive. Reflective arc rays can also cause
skin burn in addition to eye injury.
FIRE HAZARDS
WARNING
FIRE OR EXPLOSION CAN CAUSE
DEATH, INJURY, AND PROPERTY DAM-
AGE! To reduce the risk of death, injury, or
property damage from fire or explosion, read,
understand, and follow the following safety
instructions. In addition, make certain that
anyone else that uses this welding equip-
ment, or is a bystander in the welding area,
understands and follows these safety instruc-
tions as well. REMEMBER! Arc welding by
nature produces sparks, hot spatter, molten
metal drops, hot slag, and hot metal parts
that can start fires, burn skin, and damage
eyes.
•
Do not wear gloves or other clothing that
contains oil, grease, or other flammable
substances.
•
Do not wear flammable hair preparations.
•
Do not weld in an area until it is checked
and cleared of combustible and/or flam-
mable materials. BE AWARE that sparks
and slag can fly 35 feet and can pass
through small cracks and openings. If
work and combustibles cannot be sepa-
rated by a minimum of 35 feet, protect
against ignition with suitable, snug-fitting,
fire resistant, covers or shields.
•
Do not weld on walls until checking for
and removing combustibles touching the
other side of the walls.
•
Do not weld, cut, or perform other such
work on used barrels, drums, tanks, or
other containers that had contained a
flammable or toxic substance. The tech-
niques for removing flammable substance
and vapors, to make a used container
safe for welding or cutting, are quite com-
plex and require special education and
training.
•
Do not strike an arc on a compressed
gas or air cylinder or other pressure ves-
sel. Doing so will create a brittle area that
can result in a violent rupture immediately
or at a later time as a result of rough
handling.
•
Do not weld or cut in an area where the
air may contain flammable dust (such as
grain dust), gas, or liquid vapors (such as
gasoline).
•
Do not handle hot metal, such as the work
piece or electrode stubs, with bare hands.
•
Wear leather gloves, heavy long sleeve
shirt, cuffless trousers, high-topped
shoes, helmet, and cap. As necessary,
use additional protective clothing such as
leather jacket or sleeves, fire resistant
leggings, or apron. Hot sparks or metal
can lodge in rolled up sleeves, trouser
cuffs, or pockets. Sleeves and collars
should be kept buttoned and pockets
eliminated from the shirt front.
•
Have fire extinguisher equipment handy
for immediate use! A portable chemical
fire extinguisher, type ABC, is recom-
mended.
•
Wear ear plugs when welding overhead
to prevent spatter or slag from falling into
ear.
5
Advertisement
Table of Contents
