Glen Allan
Manager WTIA OzWeld
Technology Support Centres Network
Slide 1
Overview
Myth busting
Review of welding electrocutions over the
Slide 2
Slide 3
a days work
Welders have to learn to get used to electric shock
Welders are capable of sustaining higher levels of
electric shock than other people
The electric shocks that welders get from welding
power sources are from a low voltage source & are
therefore harmless
All welding power sources have the same electrical
hazard MMAW, GTAW, GMAW, FCAW, SAW
A current of 1/10th of one amp (100 mA) for 1 second can
(and likely will) kill you (even if you are a welder)
Is The
Welding Circuit Hazardous?
22 fatalities in Australia
1958 to 1996
Cannington Mine 1997
Power
Source
ACME
Welding
Inc.
HRD
Electrode
Applied Voltage
Work
Slide 4
Overview of Welding
Electrocutions in Australia
SA
Qld
WA
NSW
NT
Qld
Shipyard
Cannington Mine
Shipyard
Kemblawarra
Darwin Harbour
Townsville
December 14
October 22
February 02
March 16
1996
1997
1999
2004
2006
2011
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Current Amps
14
0
13
0
12
0
Slide 8
11
0
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
0
range
Voltage changes with arc length
only a minor change to amperage
Limited short-circuit current for
reduced stubbing and low spatter
Used for MMAW (stick), some wire
feeders (variable speed), air
carbon-arc gouging
May be d.c.+ve, d.c.-ve or a.c.
High no-load voltage necessary for
arc starting and re-ignition
especially for a.c. and low
hydrogen rods
High no-load voltages on these
power sources exceed ELV for
a.c. and d.c with ripple
Voltage
Current Amps
14
0
13
0
Slide 9
12
0
11
0
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
0
Voltage
Highest risk
d.c. pulsed
Pulsed at 25 500 Hz
d.c. smoothed
Lowest risk
Slide 10
10
100
Frequency (Hertz)
1000
10000
Slide 11
Safety Factor
Threshold of let-go 10 mA
Body
Current
mA
Ventricular fibrillation 70 mA
Probability of death
very high > 70 mA
Slide 12
Loss of consciousness 60 mA
mA
Sensation of warmth
in the extremities and painful
sensations on the skin 100 mA
Slide 13
Threshold of reaction 2 mA
Body
Current
Slide 14
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a.c. vs d.c.
An a.c. (or d.c. with ripple) welding current is
considered to be 2 to 4 times more hazardous
than ripple free d.c.
With a.c. there is a higher risk of heart fibrillation
Difficulty letting go at 10 mA or greater
Good impedance match at 50Hz
Slide 16
Welding Environments
Australian Standard 1674.2 2007 classifies
welding environments into three categories
Category A
Category C
Slide 17
Category B
AS 1674.2 2007
Welding Environments
Definition
1.3.6.1
1.3.6.2
1.3.6.3
Category A environment
Category B environment
Category C environment
2.2 (a)
2.2 (b)
2.2 (c)
Category A environment
Category B environment
Category C environment
Control measures
2.3.1
2.3.2
2.3.3
Category A environment
Category B environment
Category C environment
Slide 18
Classification
Category B
Category C
d.c. 35 V peak,
without an observer
a.c. up to 68 V
peak, 48 V r.m.s.,
with an observer
a.c. 35 V peak,
25 V r.m.s.,
without an observer
d.c. 35 V peak,
always with an observer, or
a.c. 35 V peak and 25 V r.m.s., always
with an observer
Slide 19
Working With
an Observer
AS 1674.2
Category A
113 V
Non electrically
Hazardous
Electrically
Hazardous (dry)
AS 1674.2
Category C
Electrically
Hazardous (wet)
Working With
an Observer
Working
Without an
Observer
113 V
35 V
68 V peak or
48 V r.m.s.
35 V peak or
25 V r.m.s.
35 V
Not Permitted
35 V peak or
25 V r.m.s.
Not Permitted
Slide 20
AS 1674.2
Category B
MMAW in a
Category C Environment
Requirements for use of a MMAW welding
power source in a Cat. C environment:
A hazard reducing device (HRD), i.e. a switch or
voltage reducing device (VRD), and
An observer providing constant surveillance of the
welder (person welding)
Slide 21
The observer:
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25
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26
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27
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Ongoing Issues
Inspection and Testing
Slide 31
Ongoing Issues
Equipment Use
start safety checks and simple maintenance
Inadequate maintenance of welding
equipment particularly electrode holders,
electrode and return cables and work clamps
Incorrect placement of return clamps and
poor preparation of surfaces for high currents
Lack of appreciation of the very low moisture
levels required to change an environment
from Category B to Category C classification
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