Of all the manufacturing activities, it is welding that is fraught with lot of dangers and certain precautionary measures are essential for safe welding. Some of the grave risks that a welder encounters are the obnoxious fumes and gases, the blinding arc rays, the inflammable sparks and electrical shocks.

1. Creating safe welding environment
Of all the manufacturing activities, it is welding that is fraught with lot of dangers and
certain precautionary measures are essential for safe welding. Some of the grave risks
that a welder encounters are the obnoxious fumes and gases, the blinding arc rays, the
inflammable sparks and electrical shocks.
• A welder must wear the prescribed protective clothing before commencing the
welding work. Equally important is to wear protective eye and ear gears when
welding/cutting.
• Make sure you are fully equipped with all the safe welding protection
accessories such as - welding-helmet preferably with auto darkening feature,
welding mask, welding apron, welding jacket, welding gloves, welding shoes,
welding goggles, welding booths etc.
• Avoid breathing the poisonous fumes and provide for ample ventilation before
commencing welding.
• Welders should deposit the butane lighters while welding as welding sparks can
lead to a conflagration. Butane lighters are terribly powerful and when it
explodes, it is as good as 3 sticks of dynamite.
• It is essential to handle all compressed gas cylinders extremely cautiously and
ensure they are tightly closed with caps on when stored. When compressed gas
cylinders become empty, tightly the valve and also mark them ‘empty’
• When lighting or shutting off a torch, follow the right technique and observe all
the steps sequentially.
• Make it a point to wear rubber boots and work from a dry insulated platform –
particularly if you are required to do arc welding in a wet area.
• If it becomes necessary to weld in a confined space, you will have to take
suitable extra precautionary measures as the potential risks are high.
• As a welder, it is your responsibility to protect your fellow workers from the
pernicious light rays of welding arc.
• You must exercise utmost caution if you are required to splice different lengths
of welding cable. Please ensure all the electrical connections are tight, secure
and well insulated. Stay away from cables that are frayed, cracked or split.
• Check to make sure that your arc welding equipment is installed properly and
grounded firmly and is in perfect working condition.
• Make sure flame cut sparks do not to strike the hoses, regulators or cylinders as
flame cutting sparks have a tendency to travel up to even 40 feet.
• Never use oil, grease or any inflammable material - if they come in contact with
oxygen, it can cause instant combustion. Likewise, never use acetylene at
pressure in excess of 15 psi as higher pressures can mean a terrific explosion.

2. Please know that almost all gas welding and arc welding fluxes are toxic in nature and
can easily cause allergies to welders and others around. All welders must know the
elementary lesson that the heat energy used for welding can cause untold damage to
the welders, persons around and property in the vicinity - if allowed to extend outside
the welding area.
The welding shop owner and the welding supervisor must set safety standards and lead
by example so that the welders observe all the necessary precautionary measures and
the welders are also educated about the grave consequences that any negligence can
result in.
Source: http://www.everlastgenerators.com