SAFETY RULES FOR WELDERS
ARC Welding can be hazardous. Protect yourself and others from possible
serious injury or death. Keep children away.
Pacemaker wearers should consult with their doctor before operating.
Read and understand all instructions. Failure to follow all instructions included with this
product could result in serious personal injury and/or property damage.
For additional safety information, it is strongly recommended that you consult the following
safety publications:
Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes
, ANSI Standard Z49.1, from American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Rd, Miami
FL 33126 (phone: 305-443-9353 or 800-443-9353, website: http://www.aws.org)
Recommended Safe Practices for the Preparation for Welding and Cutting of Containers and Piping
, American Welding Society
Standard AWS F4.1, from American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Rd, Miami, FL 33126
(phone: 305-443-9353 or 800-443-9353, website: http://www.aws.org).
National Electrical Code
, NFPA Standard 70, from National Fire Protection Association, P.O. Box 9101, 1 Battery March Park, Quincy,
MA 02269-9101 (phone: 617-770-3000, website: www.nfpa.org and www.sparky.org).
Practice For Occupational And Educational Eye And Face Protection
, ANSI Standard Z87.1, from American National Standards
Institute, 11 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036-8002 (phone: 212-642-4900, website: http://www.ansi.org).
Standard for Fire Prevention During Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work
, NFPA Standard 51B, from National Fire Protection
Association, P.O. Box 9101, 1 Battery March Park, Quincy, MA 02269-9101 (phone: 617-770-3000, website: www.nfpa.org and www.
sparky.org ).
OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry
, Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910,
Subpart Q, and Part 1926, Subpart J, from U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954,
Pittsburgh, PA 15250 (there are 10 Regional Offi ces--phone for Region 5, Chicago, is 312-353-2220, website: http://www.osha.gov).
Follow all local electrical and safety codes as well as in the United States, the National Electrical Codes (NEC) and the
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).
All installation operation, maintenance and repair procedures must be performed only by by qualified individuals.
The following hazards can occur during the normal use of this product:
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL!
Reduce the risk of death or serious injury from shock. Read, understand
and follow ALL safety instructions. Be sure that everyone who uses this
welding equipment or who is a bystander in the welding area understands
and follows ALL safety instructions as well.
• Do not touch live electrical parts. The electrode and work piece clamp are electrically “hot” when the welder is on.
• Wear dry, hole-free insulating gloves and body protection.
• Insulate yourself from work and ground using dry insulating mats or covers big enough to prevent physical contact
with the work piece or ground.
• Do not use in damp areas, if movement is confi ned, or if there is a danger of falling.
• Disconnect input power before installing or servicing this equipment.
• Properly install and ground this equipment according to its Owner’s manual and national, state, and local codes.
• Always verify the supply ground – check and be sure that input power cord ground wire is properly connected to
ground terminal in disconnect box or that cord plug is connected to a properly grounded receptacle outlet.
• Frequently inspect input power cord for damage or bare wiring – replace cord immediately if damaged – bare
wiring can kill. Do not use worn, damaged, undersized, or poorly spliced cables.
• Turn off all equipment when not in use.
• Do not drape cables over your body.
• If earth grounding of the workpiece is required, ground it directly with a separate cable.
• Do not allow any part of the body to touch the electrode if you are in contact with the ground or grounded work
piece.
• Use only well-maintained equipment. Repair or replace damaged parts at once. Maintain unit according to manual.
• Always keep all panels and covers securely in place when operating the welder.
• Clamp work cable with good metal-to-metal contact to workpiece or worktable as near the weld as practical.
• Insulate work clamp when not connected to workpiece to prevent contact with any metal object.
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SAFETY RULES FOR WELDERS (CONTINUED)
FUMES AND GASES can be hazardous!
Welding produces fumes and gases that are hazardous to your health.
• Keep your head out of the fumes. Do not breathe the fumes.
• If inside, ventilate the area and/or use exhaust at the arc to remove welding fumes and
gases.
• If ventilation is poor, use an approved air-supplied respirator.
• Read the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) and the manufacturer’s instructions for metals, consumables,
coatings, cleaners, and degreasers.
• Work in a confi ned space only if it is well ventilated, or while wearing an air-supplied respirator. Always have a
trained watchperson nearby. Welding fumes and gases can displace air and lower the oxygen level causing injury
or death. Be sure the breathing air is safe.
• Do not weld in locations near degreasing cleaning, or spraying operations. The heat and rays of the arc can react
with vapors to form highly toxic and irritating gases.
• Do not weld on coated metals, such as galvanized, lead, or cadmium plated steel, unless the coating is removed
from the weld area, the area is well ventilated, and if necessary, while wearing an air-supplied respirator. The
coatings and any metals containing these elements can give off toxic fumes if welded.
ARC RAYS can burn eyes!
Never look at arc welding without proper eye protection. Arc rays from the welding process
produce intense visible and invisible (ultraviolet and infrared) rays that can burn eyes and
skin. Hot sparks fly off from the weld and can burn eyes and skin.
Wear a welding helmet fitted with a proper shade of filter to protect your face and eyes when welding or watching
(see ANSI Z49.1 and Z87.1 listed in Safety Standards).
• Wear approved safety glasses with side shields under your helmet.
• Use protective screens or barriers to protect others from flash and glare; warn others in the area not to watch the
arc.
• Wear protective clothing made from durable, flame resistant materials, leather welding gloves and full foot
protection.
WELDING can cause fire or explosion!
Welding on closed containers, such as tanks, drums, or pipes, can cause them to explode.
Sparks can fly off from the welding arc. The flying sparks, hot workpiece, and hot equipment
can cause fires and burns. Accidental contact of electrode to metal objects can cause
sparks, explosion, overheating, or fire. Check and be sure the area is safe before doing any
welding.
• Always keep a fi re extinguisher readily available and watch for fire.
• Protect yourself and others from flying sparks and hot metal.
• Do not weld where flying sparks can strike flammable material.
• Remove all flammable materials from the welding area. If this is not possible, tightly cover them with approved
covers.
• Be alert that welding sparks and hot materials from welding can easily go through small cracks and openings to
adjacent areas.
• Be aware that welding on a ceiling, floor, bulkhead, or partition can cause fire on the hidden side.
• Do not weld on closed containers such as tanks, drums, or pipes; unless they are properly prepared according to
AWS F4.1 standards
• Connect work cable to the work as close to the welding area as practical to prevent welding current from traveling
long, possibly unknown paths and causing electric shock and fire hazards.
• Never use arc welder to thaw frozen pipes.
• Remove electrode from holder when not in use.
• Wear oil-free protective garments such as leather gloves, heavy shirt, cuff-less trousers, high shoes, and a cap.
• Remove any combustibles, such as butane lighters or matches, from your person before doing any welding.
FLYING METAL can injure eyes!
• Welding, chipping, wire brushing, and grinding cause sparks and fl ying metal. As welds
cool, they can throw off slag.
• Wear ANSI approved safety glasses with side shields under your welding helmet.
