WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

[escavader]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

No ,to the safety glasses,but i think i ought to. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
The one about the sneakers reminds me of a story.About 10 years ago,i was fabricating a boiler,for a dry kiln,and i had steel toe sneakers on.While using the cutting torches a hot piece of slagfell on my sneaker,burned through,right at the edge of the steel,so when it came through,i tryed "stomping it out" unsuccessfully.When i finally got my sneaker off,my sock had caught fire,and ...well it was pretty funny looking back /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif,not too funny at the time /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Earplugs keep the hot sparks out of your ear canals ...that hurts.
ALAN

 

[ksmmoto]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

I always wear safety glasses under my welding helmet just for what happened, slag getting in the eye. I also cover everything well.

I used to TIG weld die steel for days on end to build up surfaces to be remachined. Doesn't take long to find out what is needed to weld safely.

ksmmoto

 

[JimR]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

Glasses would be smart too. I wear them to see what I doing.

 

[Syncro]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

<font color="blue">Glasses would be smart too. I wear them to see what I doing </font>

Yeah, I hear ya there! What I've started to do was wear my reading glasses under a pair of soft safety goggles, then the helmit. Looks strange I guess, but in my old age I've started to realize safety issues. Never did any of that when I was a kid and was just lucky I guess not to have seriously harmed myself. (not counting bad ears from loud equip) Anyways, glad to hear others follow the same practice, at least I don't feel completely foolish all suited up like that /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wushaw]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

Yes to the saftey glasses under the hood.. not only because of slag but when you pull you hood off to grab a grinder to do a little dressing up you will have your saftey glasses on. I also wear them under the saftey shield when using the chop saw.

A beanie hat is good to keep hot sparks off the noggin.

I am new into the auto darkening hood and I have noticed it is good to get into the habit of hitting the switch each time you rested a bit (had a beer) before striking an arc even if the lense looks like it's on which it won't be /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[JimR]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

I was just going to add a beanie cap for the loss of hair group or chrome domes as they call it. But wushaw beat me to it. I still have a pretty good head of hair that sizzles once in a while.

 

[Mith]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

Remember that plated metals tend to 'ping' off their plating when hot, Ive had this happen particularly with galvanised metals and boy are those little bits hot.

Watch out for fumes, again, galvanised metals are a bit shakey, weld outside if possible.

Before you strike up take a quick look for people watching you weld. Children may not know the dangers of looking at the arc, and pets wont either. I cant remember the details but I heard a story whereby somebodies dog was blinded by looking at an arc from a fair distance away. I'd sure feel pretty sick if that happened to me.

For those of you with long hair like me, keep it out the way when welding and grinding. It goes up pretty quickly and its hard to live down for the next month or so.

Attach the ground clamp close to where you are welding, apart from making your welds maybe that little bit stronger it also prevents damage to whatever is inbetween the clamp and the arc (threads, cables, wires)

Disconnect batteries before welding on a vehicle, welding might cause damage to the electricals or cause the battery to go kablammo /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Keep an eye out for flammables near to where you are welding. Propping that floppy peice of strip steel up on a gas can while you weld it probably isnt a great idea, even if your beer buddy suggested it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Squinting while looking at the arc is not a substitute for a welding mask.

Despite the opportunity to get cool looking scars and a nice tan wearing gloves and a long sleeved top (no bikinis guys /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif ) and trousers and boots (not sandals) and a full face mask is sensible.

 

[frank29]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

Not welding; but, kind of related: never lay on the floor next to a car and attempt to cut off the muffler with a torch.

I thought I had all the bases covered. Gas and brake lines were not near. I was wearing goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. The torch was set low. The problem was that little piece of molten metal that found its way into my ear! Ouch. That was almost 30 years ago. I don't remember how I finally got that muffler off; but, I sure remember that metal in my ear.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

Frank -

Ouch is right - that hurt just thinking about it. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

After too many years of doing much the same thing to myself, I FINALLY got a lift, and man am I spoiled now. It's a beauty, a Rotary 9,000 lb. asymmetrical, and now exhaust work is soooo much easier ... and less painful, too! They're really not all that expensive, either - about $3,600 installed - not including the two (big) pads I had to pour because my floor was a little too thin.

OK, I can't just gloat and run, and I do want to add something to the thread.

I was just watching congressional hearings on the recent mining tragedies, and someone made the point that one of the mines had one of the finest safety programs in the country ... on paper. If it had actually been put into practice, a lot of guys might still be alive.

That got me to thinking about safety precautions, and preventing not only outright injury to ourselves, but cumulative damage. How many of us really don't use adequate ventilation and/or PROPER respirators when working around welding fumes, paints, solvents, exhaust, dust and god knows what else? A proper spray booth is way up on my list of things to add to my shop, mainly for extracting welding and plasma-cutting fumes, and for spray-painting things without getting dizzy. Once your lungs are shot, it's difficult or impossible to bring them back. (And if you're like me, you can't afford to lose too many brain cells). /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Ditto with hearing protection and all the noisy operations involved in metal fabrication. Grinding, using air tools (especially cut-off wheels), sanding, you name it. Just like lung damage, hearing damage sneaks up on you until it might be too late. I like Peltor hearing protectors, and I have them all over the place. They're only about $15, and I'd have a hard time putting as price tag on my hearing.

And of course, watch out for your eyes. Have safety glasses all over the place too, they're really cheap insurance. If you need reading glasses like I do, Gempler's makes a very cool pair of safety glasses with a bifocal-style reading lens built-in.

And do you really have a fully-charged fire extinguisher or two right at hand, plus a garden hose nearby if the fire extinguishers don't do the trick? (If yes, nice job).

Lastly, if someone gives you grief for taking safety precautions, they're not being a very good friend. Take care of yourselves, and pay no attention to those who seem to think that health and safety are for sissies.

John

 

[frank29]

Re: WELDING SAFETY TOPIC

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I FINALLY got a lift, and man am I spoiled now. It's a beauty, a Rotary 9,000 lb. asymmetrical, and now exhaust work is soooo much easier ... and less painful, too! They're really not all that expensive, either - about $3,600 )</font>John, buddy, pal, can you expand on this (here, start another thread, P.M. me, or whatever). I bet I'm not alone in being interested in this.