SME owners & welders

What you need to do

Fume and gases from welding and cutting

• Minimise fume:
• Don’t use excessive currents, More power = more fume;
• Try to weld on clean bare metal. Oil, dirt, paint and plating can add very toxic chemicals to the welding fume.
• Keep your head out of the rising cloud of fume:
• Try to weld in a position where the fume rises, or is blown, away from you, Less fume in your face = less risk (See pictures below).
• If your employer provides fume extraction, use it properly:
• If you use it properly it does not affect the quality of your weld. See the videos in the resources section for help to improve the positioning of flexible extraction;
• Check the extraction is working properly. If your extraction isn’t working tell your manager or safety rep. Also tell them if you think you should have extraction but haven’t been given it.
• If you are given a respirator, use it as instructed:
• Your employer has provided it to protect your health, often at great expense. The law will not support you if you don’t use, or misuse, safety equipment that your employer provides.

For further information see health topics. 3 video presentations offering tips on positioning of flexible extraction hoods can be found in the videos page. Task Specific COSHH guidance for welding cutting and allied jobs provide simple advice for some common welding processes. HSE’s Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) and Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) pages offer further general guidance.

Preventing fire and explosion

Clear away wood, fabric, cardboard and other flammable material before starting the job. Remember that the heat, sparks, drips of metal and slag can travel a considerable distance and can start fires in adjacent rooms.

You may need a person to act as a fire watcher. They should remain on watch for at least 30 minutes after the hot work finishes.

For further information see the Welding - Preventing fire and explosion pages and the free leaflet Safety in gas welding, cutting and similar processes INDG297. For general information see the HSE fire and explosion pages.

Hot work on tanks and drums may have had flammable liquids in them

Empty and clean the inside of them. Free HSE guidance Hot work on Drums and Tanks gives a simple description of the safe way to do this work.

Cylinder head diagram [larger]

Got acetylene in the back of your van?

Close the tank valve when you’re not using it. It’s the best way to prevent gas leaks.

For further information see the Welding - Preventing fire and explosion pages and the free leaflet Safety in gas welding, cutting and similar processes INDG297. For general information see the HSE fire and explosion pages.

Lack of oxygen in confined spaces

Use of inert gases and some common chemical reactions (eg rusting) can reduce the amount of oxygen inside enclosed spaces such as tanks, pipes and pits.
Working in these locations is dangerous. Before you enter a confined space:

• Consider if there a way to do the job without going in;
• If you have to go in, use a safe system of work (See Confined spaces: A brief guide to working safely  for more details);
• Make sure you know what the emergency rescue plan is;
• Never use oxygen supplies to ‘sweeten’ the air (very serious fire risk).

For further information see the HSE confined spaces webpage. The publication Safe maintenance, repair and cleaning procedures - L137  has details on permit to work systems.

Noise and vibration

TIG is a relatively quiet arc welding process and does not normally generate harmful levels of noise. The other electric arc welding processes (flux core, MMA, MAG, etc) do generate harmful levels of noise. In addition the other tasks that a welder will typically do are also noisy and typically the environment that welding takes place is also noisy. This means you will  have to consider ways to reduce noise levels as far as possible and control any residual risk through use of ear plugs or ear muffs.

• Minimise noise levels by using the most appropriate set up:
  • Consider if you can reduce the air pressure when plasma cutting and arc gouging;
  • Acetylene is more expensive that propane but it can cut faster – possibly reducing your overall noise exposure time;
  • Use the appropriate consumable diameter for the job and optimise your current settings.
• If you are told to wear hearing protection, make sure you wear it properly:
  • Ear plugs should be fitted well into the ear canal;
  • Ear muffs should make a good seal around your ear. They shouldn’t be put over the arm of your glasses or over the edge of a hat.
• “Weld it well, weld it once” - Take care with your welds so there is less grinding back, gouging or rework;

Welding and cutting processes do not generally generate harmful levels of vibration. However tasks using powered hand tools such as grinding and needle scaling will expose you to harmful vibration.

• Try to keep your hands warm, it helps prevent vibration problems in your hands;
• Keep your tools sharp and in good condition;
  • Well maintained tools produce less harmful vibration than poorly maintained ones;
  • Grinding discs that are no longer round or have chunks missing off the edges always produce lots more vibration than new ones;
  • Drills and chisels should be kept sharp;
• Let the tool do the work. Using excessive force on the tool makes any anti-vibration features fitted to the tool less effective;
• Don’t grip your tools too hard – grip firmly but not too tightly. Gripping the handles too tightly means the vibrations affect you more.

Both noise and vibration are time dependant hazards. The less time you are exposed to them the less damage it can do. Remember that workers around you who are doing noisy work will also contribute to your noise exposure.

For further information see the noise and vibration page or the generic HSE noise and vibration webpages.

Electric shock

• Don’t use welding equipment with damaged insulation on the welding cables, plugs, clamps or torch/ electrode holder;
• use clean, dry welding gloves (clothing and gloves are not designed to prevent electric shock, however, if it’s dry, it will normally provide some protection);
• Wear overalls or other clothing that minimises the amount of naked skin, particularly on arms and legs - Roll your sleeves down;
• For most welding operations, it is better to clamp the current return cable close to where you are welding;
• Use a mat or some other dry platform eg a wooden pallet, so you are not in contact with wet or conductive surfaces. This is particularly important if you are:
  • welding in damp or wet conditions;
  • welding inside a metal structure;
  • have to position yourself on the metal work piece to make the weld.

Welding with the head in the rising plume of welding fume = increased risk

Welding with the head slightly out the rising plume of welding fume = decreased risk

For further information see the welding electrical hazards section. For general guidance and information, the HSE electrical safety pages.

On-site and offshore welders

Unlike factory welders, the onsite welders will face highly variable circumstances and conditions. As a result the health and safety measures you need to take may also change frequently. Much of the risks that an on-site welder will face are the same as other industrial workers (eg working at height, lifting and slinging, manual handling).

• Guidance for offshore workers