General safety requirements for work using arc welding are to equip the workplace, use special work clothes and control the materials from which the equipment is made. There are also safety features depending on the type of arc welding used: manual or automatic.
General safety requirements
First of all, when working with arc welding, it is necessary to check the place of work. Welding should be carried out at least 10 meters from flammable substances and materials, as well as from pressure vessels (boilers, pipes). All metal parts of the welding equipment must be grounded.
For work with arc welding, a special work cabin must be equipped, which must meet the following requirements:
- good illumination;
- fire resistance of floor and wall materials;
- the walls should be painted in light gray with special paints to absorb ultraviolet radiation;
- availability of ventilation means;
- availability of fire extinguishing equipment.
The welder's working uniform must meet the following requirements:
- work uniform should be tight and cover the whole body;
- the material from which the work clothes are made must be fire-resistant;
- the obligatory presence of tarpaulin mittens;
- the face should be covered with a welding mask with a light filter (to protect the face and eyes from ultraviolet radiation);
- boots or boots with rubber soles should be used as footwear.
Safety precautions for manual and automatic arc welding
The main disadvantage of manual arc welding is the high harmfulness of the work process, therefore, safety requirements must be met especially strictly. Primary requirements:
- check the absence of damp areas in the workplace or welder's clothing;
- the need for additional verification of the insulation of the welding transformer wires;
- use of a safe electric holder with blocking at idle;
- regular intensive ventilation of the workplace to remove combustion products;
- the presence of a second worker outside the welding site to provide, if necessary, medical or technical assistance;
- Propane cylinders are colored red.
Safety features for automatic arc welding:
- annual testing of employees for knowledge of all the technical details of the process;
- moving contacts and switches should be checked every 3 days;
- the control wires of the welding machine must be laid in the tubes;
- flexible wires must be laid in hoses;
- the current of the fuses should not be higher than that indicated in the diagram.
