SAFETY IN TIG WELDING

When TIG welding, observe the following general safety practices .

1. Wear gloves and eye and face protection. The welder and all observers must wear
welding helmets with a No. 10 or 12 filter lens. A welding cap or helmet with a hard
hat is also recommended for head protection. When cleaning a weld with a wire brush
be sure your safety glasses are being wore properly.
2. Avoid electrical shock. Make certain that the TIG torch and all electrical connections
and cables are properly insulated. Check to see that the welder is properly grounded.
Do not dip the TIG torch in water to cool it because this practice may result in
electrical shock. The TIG torch will be water cooled internally or it may be air
cooled.
3. Protect others. For small and practice welding jobs, work in a partitioned area to
protect others from harmful rays. When prepared to start a TIG weld, inform all
bystanders to cover their eyes.
4. Never weld in a damp area. Stand on a dry board or rubber mat if the floor or ground
is damp or wet.
5. Never wear synthetic fiber clothing. Synthetic fibers are highly flammable. Wearing
clothing made from wool or cotton is more satisfactory for welding because of their
relatively high flash points.
6. Protect welding cables. Keep the cables from coming in contact with hot metal and
sharp edges. Do not drive over cables.
7. Secure work. Use a welding table with a positioner to hold welds securely in place.
Clamps and vises can be used to hold odd-shaped work or field work. Securing work
will also prevent injury from accidental dropping of metal on your feet or body.
8. Prevent burns. Never adjust the gas cup with your bear hand, even after welding for
just a few moments the cup can become very hot. Remove hot metal from the work
area when you are finished welding to prevent burns to others.
9. Handle hot metal with pliers or tongs. Submerge hot metal completely in water to
prevent steam burns.
10. Weld in a well-ventilated area. The fumes from lead, zinc, cadmium, and beryllium
are toxic and may cause sickness or death.
11. Do not carry matches or lighters, and do not allow bystanders to smoke. Before
welding, make sure the welding area is free of other flammables (gas, grease, etc.).
Safety

Make sure you have all the necessary safety equipment and
appropriate clothing. For example,
-Dry, hole-free insulating gloves and body protection
-Approved welding helmet fitted with a proper shade of filter
lenses to protect your face and eyes when welding or watching
-Approved safety glasses with side shields under your helmet
-Protective clothing made from durable, flame-resistant material
(leather, heavy cotton, or wool) and foot protection.

SAFETY IN MIG WELDING

This is not a comprehensive guide. There are many ways in which welding can
damage your health. The main points are:

Protect all skin from UV light

Closing your eyes for a few sneaky tacks will not prevent arc eye

Work in a well ventilated area (extraction fans not blowing fans as those
would blow your shielding gas away).

Wear a vapour mask if your extraction isn't great.

Be careful not to have flammable stuff nearby. Welding and grinding

sparks can travel a long distance.

MIG welding can be a pretty safe thing to do so long as you follow a few important safety
precautions. Because of MIG welding produces lots of heat and lots of harmful light, you
need to take a few steps to protect yourself.

Safety Steps:

The light that is generated by any form of arc welding is extremely bright. It
will burn your eyes and your skin just like the sun will if you don't protect yourself.
The first thing you will need to weld is a welding mask. I am wearing an autodarkening welding mask below. They are really helpful if you are going to do a
bunch of welding and make a great investment if you think you will be working
with metal often. Manual masks require you to jerk your head dropping the mask
into position or require to use a free hand to pull the mask down. This allows you
to use both your hands to weld, and not worry about the mask. Think of
protecting others from the light as well and use a welding screen if it's available to
make a border around yourself. The light has a tendency to draw on lookers who
might need to shielded from being burned too.

Wear gloves and leathers to protect yourself from molten metal splattering off
of your work piece. Some people like thin gloves for welding so you can have a
lot of control. In TIG welding this is especially true, however for MIG welding you
can wear whatever gloves you feel comfortable with. The leathers will not only
protect your skin from the heat produced by welding but they will also protect
your skin from the UV light produced by welding. If you are going to be doing any
amount of welding more than just a minute or two you will want to cover up
because UV burns happen fast!

If you are not going to wear leathers at least make sure that you are wearing
clothing made from cotton. Plastic fibers like polyester and rayon will melt when

they come into contact with molten metal and will burn you. Cotton will get a hole
in it, but at least it won't burn and make hot metal goop.

Do not wear open toed shoes or synthetic shoes that have mesh over the top
of your toes. Hot metal often falls straight down and I have burned many holes
through the tops of my shoes. Molten metal + hot plastic goo from shoes = no
fun. Wear leather shoes or boots if you have them or cover your shoes in
something non-flammable to stop this.

Weld in a well ventilated area. Welding produces hazardous fumes which you
shouldn't breathe in if you can avoid it. Wear either a mask, or a respirator if you
are going to be welding for a prolonged amount of time.

Important Safety Warning

DO NOT WELD GALVANIZED STEEL. Galvanized steel contains a zinc coating that
produces carcinogenic and poisonous gas when it is burned. Exposure to the stuff
can result in heavy metal poisoning (welding shivers) - flu like symptoms that can
persist for a few days, but that can also cause permanent damage. This is not a joke.
I have welded galvanized steel out of ignorance and immediately felt it's effects, so
don't do it!

Fire Fire Fire

Molten metal can spit several feet from a weld. Grinding sparks are even worse. Any
sawdust, paper or plastic bags in the area can smolder and catch fire, so keep a tidy
area for welding. Your attention will be focused on welding and it can be hard to see
what's going on around you if something catches fire. Reduce the chance of that
happening by clearing away all flammable objects from your weld area.
Keep a fire extinguisher beside the exit door from your workshop. CO2 is the best
type for welding. Water extinguishers are not a good idea in a welding shop since
you are standing next to a whole lot of electricity.
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