6 Tips to Improve Welding Safety

June 11, 2019 ·
Leave a comment ·
Red-D-Arc

6 Welding Safety Tips

1 – Wear proper gear.

It is very crucial to have the right gear when you are welding. If you own a workshop, then you should ensure that your employees are completely covered. Every welder should wear flame-resistant clothing such as denim or wool. If cotton is worn, it should be treated to ensure that it is fire-resistant.

A welding jacket is an excellent way to help protect workers. Some may complain that welding jackets are too hot and too heavy to wear and will try to avoid wearing them. Many of the companies who make safety gear now make clothing that is lightweight yet still provides a great deal of protection. Newer styles allow welders more comfort and mobility.

Gloves are also essential for welding safety. In the past, the gloves were simply one-size fits all. Nowadays, gloves are designed with different sizes for different welding procedures. These new age gloves allow for welders to have increased maneuverability to work safely, yet efficiently. When it comes to shoes, boots, and high-top leather shoes offer the best for protection.

2 – Avoid the light.

Arc flash can damage the eyes. Always avoid exposure to the flash by wearing welding helmets fitted with a proper filtering shade to keep your eyes and face safe when welding. Select approved safety glasses with protective shields at the sides and ear protection to wear under the helmet. Also, go for a lens shade that is suitable for your welding application. You can use the OSHA guide to choose the best lens based on your welding procedures. Additionally, companies should install barriers or screens where appropriate to protect workers from arc flash.

3 – Avoid repetitive stress injuries.

Doing the same thing over and over again or being in the same position under the same strain for an extended period can frequently cause repetitive stress injuries. These kind of injuries have become a great concern to a lot of workers since they are severe enough to force a welder to give up his career. Workers should often take breaks to stretch. Managers should reiterate and stress that safe lifting techniques be practiced.

You can also avoid neck fatigue by using auto-darkening helmets. An auto-darkening helmet is lighter than the traditional fixed-shade helmet, and the worker is not required to look down to drop the hood frequently. Seconds saved between welds will allow for more productivity.

4 – Familiarize yourself with the equipment.

One of the most essential welding safety rules is to make sure that only workers who are adequately trained and authorized, use welding equipment. Many accidents occur because people use machines without the right training.

This often happens in home welding shops, where friends or family of the welder will try to work on a project themselves. It also occurs in professional settings when welders let others do their work or in the case of employers who wish to cut costs. Without proper training, increased incidence of injuries and property damage can be expected.

Additionally, everyone who operates a particular machine has to read the welder’s operating manual. It contains essential safety information, as well as information procedures that maximize the machine’s potential.

Ensure you read the welder’s operating manual.

5 – Proper ventilation.

Welding in a well-ventilated area that is at least 10,000 cubic feet with a 16-foot high ceiling. Place the welding equipment where you can get natural drafts or fans that blowin the fumes away from your face, or at least across it, but never straight into it. If the machine requires you to use a respirator or exhaust hood, wear the correct one to maintain clean breathing air.

6 – Don’t allow clutter.

Clutter is a welding workshop enemy. It is a significant cause of accidents such as fires since sparks can find more places to land and smolder. The working area should only have the equipment and tools that the workers are using.

To keep a workshop organized and safe, managers should consider labeling the places where each welding machine, tool, and equipment should be placed. Companies should also ensure that all welding cables are well-maintained. Then enforce the rules of keeping welding equipment and materials in proper places. Removing the clutter will help keep paths are clear and improve welding safety.

Rent Welding Equipment from Red-d-Arc Today!

As a responsible welder, try to do everything that you can to minimize accidents. Even when not welding, and just in the workshop, you still need to be safe. Incorporate safety into daily work habits and make sure that you follow these tips!

And when you’re ready to rent the best in welding equipment, contact Red-d-Arc. We can help you find exactly what you need! Click below or call us at 1-866-733-3272.

6 Tips to Improve Welding Safety | Red-d-Arc

Red-D-Arc

Red-D-Arc Welderentals™ an Airgas company rents and leases welders, welding positioners, welding-related equipment, and electric power generators – anywhere in the world. Our rental welders, positioners and specialty products have been engineered and built to provide Extreme-Duty™ performance and reliability in even the harshest environments, and are available through over 70 Red-D-Arc Service Centers, strategically located throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands, as well as through strategic alliances in the Middle East, Spain, Italy, Croatia, and the Caribbean. From our rental fleet of over 60,000 welders, 3,700 weld positioners, and 3,700 electric-power generators, we can supply you with the equipment you need – where you need it – when you need it.