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Proper welding safety - starts with
familiarizing yourself and other operators with the welding
equipment and the manufacturer’s recommendations. Take the time to
read the operator’s manual thoroughly and follow all of the safety,
operation and maintenance instructions it contains. Keep the manual
handy so new users can acquaint themselves with the machine. Should
the operator’s manual become lost or damaged, request a new one from
the manufacturer. Miller Electric and many other manufacturers
provide product manuals on-line. Spanish and French language
versions are available for some of the most common products. The
Well-Dressed Welder Arc welding produces sparks and emits intense
visible and invisible rays that pose several hazards to unprotected
skin and eyes. When welding, adequately protect your skin. Shorts,
short sleeves, open collars all leave you vulnerable to burns from
both flying sparks and the arc rays. Wear only flame-resistant
clothing, and button your cuffs and pockets to prevent them from
catching sparks. Pants cuffs, too, can catch sparks and should be
avoided. The well-dressed (or safely dressed welder) no longer has
to use a clumsy, ill-fitting jacket. Modern welding garments are
more functional, flexible and better fitting. Note that once the
welder dons the helmet, he will have no skin exposed to sparks or
arc burns. A flame resistant jacket is completely buttoned, allowing
no pockets or spaces for a spark to catch. A welding bandana
protects the top of his head from sparks. An auto-darkening welding
helmet decreases the chance for repetitive stress injury to one’s
neck and can adjust to changing arc parameters conditions. With
respect to footwear, high top leather shoes offer the best
protection. Tennis shoes and other cloth shoes are inadequate; they
can catch a spark and smolder
Under Construction
loves when welding or handling
recently welded material to protect yourself from sparks, arc burns
and the heat from the work piece. Remember, even a quick tack weld
requires the use of a welding helmet and appropriate apparel (see
Figure 1). Although the above sounds obvious, a common fault among
welders is not wearing the right safety equipment. While expediency
is one reason often given, some welders complain that the common,
one-size-fits-all apparel is too bulky, heavy and restricting and
that gloves, especially in TIG applications, do not provide the
necessary sensitivity and flexibility Figure 2: Welding gloves are
now available in different styles to meet the demand of different
welding applications. The medium duty MIG gloves shown here (left)
offer ergonomically curved fingers and padded palm for increased
comfort and rugged construction for increased longevity. The TIG
gloves (bottom center) are made from goatskin, which provides
excellent dexterity, comfort and durability. Metal working gloves
(top center) and heavy duty MIG gloves widen the choices available
to the welder. While that may have been true in the past, leading
manufacturers now offer safety apparel that address the welder’s
comfort and specific needs. The welding industry is moving beyond
the cookie cutter, one-size-fits-all idea of safety products,
demanding garments that are safe from a functional standpoint, yet
attractive with a better fit,” says John Swartz, welding components
& consumables product manager, Miller Electric Mfg. Co. Lightweight
flame resistant cloth, pigskin leather and combinations of the two
offer the welder better protection, even when welding overhead, and
increased ease of movement than ever before. For additional
flexibility, some jackets feature snaps for the addition of a
leather bib or apron. Gloves in small to extra-large sizes with
ergonomically curved fingers are now available for specific welding
processes. Heavy duty MIG/Stick gloves, medium MIG gloves and TIG
gloves that provide that added dexterity and touch are just some of
the recent additions to the field Helmets Even a brief exposure to
the arc’s radiation may be damaging to your eyes, causing symptoms
from a burning sensation to temporary blindness. Repeated exposure
can lead to permanent injury. Always wear proper eye protection when
welding or when exposed to a welding arc. If you use a standard,
fixed shade helmet, pick one that has a lens shade appropriate for
your welding application. OSHA offers a guide for choosing the
correct lens based on welding criteria. If your weld parameters and
materials don’t vary, a fixed-shade lens may be right for you.
However, if you’ll be switching processes, materials or parameters,
an auto-darkening helmet may be your best solution.
Auto-darkening helmets provide many benefits, including increased
efficiency, decreased chance for repetitive stress injury and
responsiveness to changing arc quality. Attractive graphic designs
promote safety while allowing the wearer to express his or her
personality. All auto-darkening helmets must meet ANSI standards,
the most recent being ANSI Z87.1-2003. When an arc triggers the
sensors on an auto-darkening helmet, the lens darkens in a fraction
of a second. Some fixed-shade auto-darkening helmets darken to a #10
shade with a reaction time of 1/2000 to 1/3,600 of a second and are
not adequate for frequent tack welds, TIG welding and other
industrial applications. Industrial grade helmets react at speeds of
1/10,000 of a second or higher to prevent eye fatigue and arc flash
symptoms, and have adjustable shades settings of #9-#12 or #13.
(Miller Elite auto-darkening helmets react in 1/20,000 of a second,
with shade settings of #8 to #13.) Industrial grade helmets, such as
the Miller Elite series, will also have adjustable sensitivity and
delay controls Adjustable sensitivity is useful when welding at low
amperages, especially TIG, when the light isn’t as bright as other
processes. Adjustable delay controls how long the lens remains
darkened after the arc stops. When tack welding, a short delay may
be desired, while a longer delay may be desirable after welding at
very high temperatures. Even when not activated, the lens provides
UV/IR protection and usually has a light state of a #3 or #4 shade,
which is relatively easy to see through. Auto-darkening helmets
provide some other important benefits also. With a fixed-shade
helmet, the welder positions the gun, torch or electrode and then
jerks his head down to bring the helmet into place. This may lead to
neck injury through the repeated motion, especially for welders who
perform a series of tack welds. e him to move out of position and
lead to a weld defect. An auto-darkening helmet allow
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