Welding Safety

[Troll1216]

As I am VERY new to welding I have been reading quite a bit. I found an article from www.aimag.com and I believe www.brewracingframes.com a safety article that is a MUST READ!!!

Phosgene Gas is extremely LETHAL and the common practice of cleaning/prepping surfaces can get you dead quick.

 

[ryker725]

Good info... Note to self: Self, don't prep welding areas with brake cleaner..

thanks.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Note to self, take all wedling jobs to Troll1216's AO.

 

[wreckerman893]

I do quite a bit of MIG and stick welding and oxy/acty cutting......I always have a fan blowing the fumes away.....galvanized fumes will make you very sick.

 

[A/C Cages]

Same as dont weld on a concrete floor which had vinyl flooring on it. The left over glue turns into Hydrocloric acid fumes when caught on fire at high temps and will eat your lungs inside out.
Oops I found this one out the hard way. We didnt know there was a glue residue left over on the concrete till it was too late. A week later in the hospital with tubes stuck into my lungs thru my chest on both sides they figured out what happened. It had the Fire Marshalls confused for a week until an EMT mentioned he heard of it happening once before in CA where he used to work.
Always be carefull. Its painful when you are not.

 

[dittle]

Now that just sounds painful as ****

 

[A/C Cages]

Nahhhh it tickled...lol

 

[4x4 Forever]

I know this has been covered here in SS before. BUT, it needed to be brought up again as it is 'that time of the year' for new projects and ppl getting out for the first time after winter.

THANKS Troll1216!

 

[wdbtchr]

I wonder if anyone makes a half face air supply mask something like insulaters use around asbestos. They use a mask/hose/ pumpfilter with a HEPA filter when removing asbestos. If you had something like that with a hose going outside to supply fresh air you would be pretty much safe from any king of fumes.

 

[Troll1216]

SOME toxic fumes can be filtered with a half mask and hepa filters, NOT ALL.

HEPA filters are usually simple fabric filters, and don't have (usually) activated charcoal or can handle hydrocloric acid fumes or Phosgene gas, most military (read - current issue, not surplus) can handle it for a short time... Best to weld outside, or with LOTS of ventilation.

Although I have far less knowledge than a military chem warfare officer/nco, I am on my departments Emergency Field Force, and part of that duty is riot control, I have spent more time in a Scott N95 than I care to admit.

<EDIT>
Asbestos is a particle and should be able to be filtered with a HEPA filter - BUT always read the filter litrature to see what substances it filters, don't chance it.

 

[4x4 Forever]

I wonder if anyone makes a half face air supply mask something like insulaters use around asbestos. They use a mask/hose/ pumpfilter with a HEPA filter when removing asbestos. If you had something like that with a hose going outside to supply fresh air you would be pretty much safe from any king of fumes.

They make this setup for welding, sandblasting, hazmat work, etc.. It is important to note that the pump MUST be set up outside the work area and upwind of the work area.

 

[A/C Cages]

I make all my employees wear a Speedglass helmet with breather system. They are expensive but I refuse to have one of my employees go thru what I went thru in the hospital.

 

[jpwilson]

iv been welding for 6 years and also have a dagree in welding. i have never been given the opurtunity to weld galvanized meatel but if i were given the chance i would have to pass on that with out a doubt. if you are new to welding i would highly recomend getting somebody that does know a little about it to give you hand. grinders are also dangerous too lol trust me. and make sure their isnt any water that could cause electracution. they have underwater welders but i herd once water and electricity dont go togather to good

 

[jpwilson]

 

[M35A2-AZ]

I have been welding for a long time and welding galvanized metal is very bad for you. I use a respirator when I weld and/or do griding.

 

[ZackRidesRed]

I have been welding professionally for going on 10 years now. Any time I have to use a liquid cleaner I use 100% Acetone.
Acetone its self is very toxic to the body so always use gloves rated for acetone and do not breath the fumes. After you get the weldment clean blow it dry with compressed air untill it completely evaporates. Do not weld any where near wet acetone, It is very flammable.

I have never had a problem with welding parts that have been cleaned with acetone and I use it daily. Hopefully this helps someone avoid using brake cleaner.

 

[swbradley1]

You could get a full faced SCUBA mask and use an air tank. Not cheap but I'm sure it will work. Sound like Darth Vader on the plus side.
​

 

[jasonjc]

You could get a full faced SCUBA mask and use an air tank. Not cheap but I'm sure it will work. Sound like Darth Vader on the plus side.​

As some one who as used both SCUBA and SCBA. I would think the SCBA would be fine.

 

[stampy]

Oh and remove any pressurized cans ( spray cans) from the area. I had a friend who didn't.... They become pressurized blow torches when a piece of hot slag hits them. He had been welding for decades.