|
|
 |
Welding Safety Standards address the full spectrum of safety considerations within the welding industry, covering everything from generally applicable guidelines to requirements specific to a single piece of equipment used for a single welding procedure. Given the large amounts of energy necessarily involved in welding, welding safety standards are vital in their role of protecting the safety of those involved, as well as safeguarding property and assuring the reliability of welding designs and consistency of manufacturing output. Approaching safety from several angles, welding safety standards include safety-focused aspects built into the welding equipment itself, requirements for adequate personal protective clothing, air quality concerns and procedures, and so forth. Together, adherence to welding safety standards and knowledgeable operators transform an activity filled with danger into a carefully controlled exercise in safety. |
|
 |
Airborne Hazards Safety Standards Airborne Hazards Safety Standards address the dangers posed by fumes, gases, vapors, and particles released into the air during welding processes. Looking at procedures for measuring emission rates, sampling airborne particles in a welder’s breathing zone, collecting fumes for analysis, minimum requirements for airflow rates, and so forth, airborne hazards safety standards cover safety procedures starting from the emission of hazardous materials all the way through to their removal.
|
|
 |
Arc Welding Safety Standards Arc Welding Safety Standards address the various aspects of arc welding and the safety considerations that accompany them. In addition to arc welding safety standards published by national standards bodies and the American Welding Society (AWS), a 13-part series has been published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), with each part looking closely at a single component of arc welding, setting forth requirements for both performance and safety, highlighting the ever-present attention to safety necessary in arc welding.
|
|
 |
Equipment Safety Standards Welding Equipment Safety Standards address the proper design, manufacture, installation, and use of the varied and complicated equipment used for welding. Given the nature of welding, the obvious potential for danger requires safety considerations to be an integral part of the design process and manufacturing of the equipment involved. Welding equipment safety is therefore the first line of defense, and standardization helps assure cohesion between the equipment that welders use and everything surrounding it.
|
|
 |
Personal Protection Safety Standards Personal Protection Standards frequently come into play when welding due to the inherent dangers associated with welding. While welding equipment can be made safer, certain dangers are best protected against with the use of personal protection equipment such as eye and face protection. Sometimes, personal protection standards for use in welding applications add on to standards used in industries with lower safety requirements, while others are developed specifically for welding when the dangers involved are unique to welding.
|
|
 |
General Welding Safety Standards Welding Safety Standards address everything from nuanced specifics relevant to only a small subsection of the welding industry to generally applicable considerations that promote safety in a variety of situations. Detailing safety promoting features such as consistent wordless precautionary labels or fire precautions, general welding safety standards play an important role in providing a strong foundation for a thorough welding safety program.
The American Welding Society (AWS) publishes a great many standards concerned with welding safety, as well as instructional pamphlets, all intending to promote the reliability and safety of welding.
|
|
|
|
