Page 36 - Occupational Health & Safety, December 2018

WELDING
Key Protections for Arc Welders
Controlling the risks is done by applying the hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering controls (such as ventilation systems to remove welding fume), administrative controls, and finally, PPE.
BY JERRY LAWS
BLS has reported 404,800 U.S. workers were employed1 during 2016 as welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, and that they had one of the highest rates of injuries and ill-
nesses among all occupations. They may work out- doors, often in bad weather, or indoors, even under- water, and sometimes work in confined spaces. They may be working in awkward positions, on scaffolds, and may be exposed to very hot materials, toxic fumes, noise, fire hazards, electrical hazards, arc ra- diation, and more.
Hazard Assessment and
the Hierarchy of Controls
Controlling these risks adequately starts with a hazard assessment that looks at the physical work environ- ment, equipment and materials being used, and how the work tasks will be performed. Hazard identifica- tion may involve a walk-through assessment of the workplace; talking with workers about how the job is being carried out, inspecting the materials and equip- ment before work begins; reading product labels, manufacturers’ instruction manuals, and safety data sheets; and reviewing incident and injury reports.
The severity of the identified risks will depend on many factors, including the properties of the materials to be welded, the condition of the welding equipment, conditions under which the welding will be done (such as inside confined spaces, at height, etc.), and the skills and experience of the welder.
Authorities stress that controlling these risks is done by applying the hierarchy of controls: elimi- nation, substitution, engineering controls (such as ventilation systems to remove welding fume), ad- ministrative controls, and finally, personal protective equipment.
But PPE is nonetheless critical to many occupa- tions, particularly that of a welder. Protective clothing, gloves, welding helmets, and respiratory protection are essential gear for many welders.
Ergonomics
An online OSHA Ergonomics eTool2 for electrical contractors recommends these possible solutions to prevent ergonomic injuries brought on by prolonged work by welders in static and awkward postures:
■ Provide height-adjustable tables and jigs that hold the piece in a position enabling employees to maintain neutral postures.
■ Provide anti-fatigue mats and shoe inserts that may help reduce fatigue and discomfort caused by prolonged standing on hard floor surfaces. These mats help distribute the pressure from a hard floor evenly to the feet and may improve circulation.
■ Pre-plan welding jobs to minimize awkward postures.
■ Do not conduct welding on the ground or floor. ■ Avoid kneeling. Use low stools instead.
■ When kneeling is required, wear kneepads.
■ When purchasing new personal protective
equipment, consider the weight of items such as hel- mets, aprons, and jackets to reduce the load that must be supported if employees must bend neck or trunk to perform tasks.
■ Provide a stand and hoist to get welding ma- terial to appropriate height to eliminate awkward postures.
■ Use adjustable rotator stands such as a retrofit- ted air or hydraulic lift package to better maintain a neutral posture while welding.
Fire and Electrical Hazards
Burns and electrical shock are two of the most seri- ous risks for a welder. OSHA’s Welding, Cutting, and Brazing standard says, at 1910.252(a)(1)(i), that “if the object to be welded or cut cannot readily be moved, all movable fire hazards in the vicinity shall be taken to a safe place.”
The standard also addresses combustible materi- als, saying wherever there are floor openings or cracks in the flooring that can’t be closed, workers are to take precautions to ensure that no readily combustible ma- terials on the floor below will be exposed to sparks. Suitable fire extinguishing equipment (such as porta- ble extinguishers, pails of water, buckets of sand, etc.) is to be kept ready for instant use, and fire watchers who are equipped with fire extinguishing equipment and trained in its use are required whenever welding or cutting is performed in locations where anything more than a minor fire might develop or one of these conditions exists:
■ Appreciable combustible material, in building construction or contents, is closer than 35 feet to the point of operation.
■ Appreciable combustibles are more than 35 feet away but are easily ignited by sparks.
■ Wall or floor openings within a 35-foot radius expose combustible material in adjacent areas, in-
32 Occupational Health & Safety | DECEMBER 2018
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