Jasic MIG SERIES - Safety Against Fumes and Welding Gases; Precautions Against Fire and Explosion

6
SAFETY INSTRUCTION
Safety against fumes and welding gases
The HSE have idened welders as being an ‘at risk’ group for occupaonal diseases arising
from exposure to dusts, gases, vapours and welding fumes. The main idened health eects
are pneumonia, asthma, chronic obstrucve pulmonary disease (COPD), lung and kidney
cancer, metal fume fever (MFF) and lung funcon changes.
During welding and hot cung ‘hot work’ operaons, fumes are produced which are
collecvely known as welding fume. Depending upon the type of welding process being performed, the
resultant fume generated is a complex and highly variable mixture of gases and parculates.
Regardless of the length of welding being carried out, all welding fume, including mild steel welding
requires suitable engineering controls to be in place which is
usually Local Exhaust Venlaon (LEV) extracon to reduce the
exposure to welding fume indoors and where LEV does not
adequately control exposure it should also be enhanced by using
suitable respiratory protecve equipment (RPE) to assist with
protecng against residual fume.
When welding outdoors appropriate RPE should be used.
Prior to undertaking any welding tasks an appropriate risk
assessment should be carried out to ensure expected control
measures are in place.
Locate the equipment in a well-venlated posion and keep
your head out of the welding fume.
Do not breathe the welding fume.
Ensure the welding zone is well-venlated and provision should be made for suitable local fume
extracon system to be in place.
If venlaon is poor, wear an approved airfed welding helmet or respirator.
Read and understand the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS’s) and the manufacturer’s instrucons for
metals, consumable, coangs, cleaners and de-greasers.
Do not weld in locaons near any de-greasing, cleaning or spraying operaons.
Be aware that heat and rays of the arc can react with vapours to form highly toxic and irritang gases.
For further informaon please refer to the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk for related documentaon.
Precauons against re and explosion
Avoid causing res due to sparks and hot waste or molten metal.
Ensure that appropriate re safety devices are available near the
welding and cung area.
Remove all ammable and combusble materials from the welding,
cung and surrounding areas.
Do not weld or cut fuel and lubricant containers, even if empty. These must be
carefully cleaned before they can be welded or cut.
Always allow the welded or cut material to cool before touching it or placing it in
contact with combusble or ammable material.
Do not work in atmospheres with high concentraons of combusble fumes, ammable gases and dust.
Always check the work area half an hour aer cung to make sure that no res have begun.
Take care to avoid accidental contact of electrode to metal objects. This could cause arcs, explosion,
overheang or re.
Understand your re exnguishers
An example of personal fume protection