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Safety in Welding - 3
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL
: Electrical shock is the most serious risk that the
welding operator might face frequently. Contact with the live electrical materials
can lead to injuries, death, electrical shocks or sudden falls by reflex. Do not touch
the electrode, grounding wire or work piece under voltage attached to the machine.
Insulate yourself against contact with the electrode, grounding wire or work piece.
Do not touch the plug’s metal pins after disconnection from the power. It contains
risk of electrical shock.
The electrical shock risk associated with the welding machine is divided in to two categories:
• Primary voltage shock (e.g. 230 - 460 V)
• Secondary voltage shock (e.g. 20 - 100 V DC)
The primary electrical shock is much more dangerous, since the voltage is higher
than the welding voltage. Primary electrical shock may happened by contact with
a live part in the machine while the body is grounded when there is power on
the machine. Please do not forget that the ON/OFF switch on the machine may
not cut off the electricity connected to the machine itself. In order to get a safe
disconnection from mains supply; switch off the fuse and disconnect the input
cables from the connection terminals.
Never remove the side covers of the machine and in case of a failure, have an
authorized technician check and repair the machine.
Ground the machine and work piece without fail.
Do not use un-insulated cables and electrode holders, replace them with new ones.
Never immerse the electrodes in water for cooling.
Do not touch the electrode cables connected to two separate welding machines;
the voltage carried may be equal to the sum of the open circuit voltage of both
machines.
Please use a safety harness without fail while working on high places to prevent
falling because of an electrical shock.
FUMES AND GASES MAY BE DANGEROUS
: The welding works may cause the
emission of smoke and gas hazardous for human health. In order to protect the user
against this hazard, the smoke or gases have to be removed by providing adequate
ventilation.
Generally short-term effects such as burns in the face and skin, dizziness, nausea
and fewer etc. may be experienced during the welding operations depending on the
exposure length to the smoke and amount of smoke present. Longer exposure to
smoke may lead to the accumulation of iron in the lungs and may cause functional
disorders. Bronchitis and lung fibrosis are the most frequently seen effects.
Some electrodes may contain certain alloys that make special ventilation
compulsory. The labels on the products that require special ventilation should not
be ignored and the “Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)” must be read carefully.
Gas masks may have to be used while welding with such materials.
Keeping the head out of the smoke cloud is one of the easiest ways of protection
against hazardous gases and smoke.
Do not breathe the smoke and gases and use mechanical air circulation and
ventilation apparatus; and if the ventilation is till insufficient, gas masks should be
used.
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