(1) Transporting, moving, and storing compressed gas cylinders.
(a) Valve protection caps shall be in place and secured.
(b) When cylinders are hoisted, they shall be secured on a cradle,
slingboard, or pallet. They shall not be hoisted or transported by means
of magnets or choker slings.
(c) Cylinders shall be moved by tilting and rolling them on their bottom
edges. They shall not be intentionally dropped, struck, or permitted
to strike each other violently.
(d) When cylinders are transported by powered vehicles, they shall
be secured in a vertical position.
(e) Valve protection caps shall not be used for lifting cylinders from
one vertical position to another. Bars shall not be used under valves
or valve protection caps to pry cylinders loose when frozen. Warm, not
boiling, water shall be used to thaw cylinders loose.
(f) Unless cylinders are firmly secured on a special carrier intended
for this purpose, regulators shall be removed and valve protection caps
put in place before cylinders are moved.
(g) A suitable cylinder truck, chain, or other steadying device shall
be used to keep cylinders from being knocked over while in use. Such
cylinders are not considered to be “in storage.”
(h) When a job is finished, when cylinders are empty or when cylinders
are moved at any time, the cylinder valve shall be closed.
(i) Compressed gas cylinders shall be secured in an upright position
at all times except, if necessary, for short periods of time while cylinders
are actually being hoisted or carried.
(j) Oxygen. Oxygen cylinders in storage shall be separated from fuel-gas
cylinders or combustible materials (especially oil or grease), a minimum
distance of 20 feet or by a noncombustible barrier at least 5 feet high
having a fire-resistance rating of at least one-half hour.
(2) Placing cylinders.
(a) Cylinders shall be kept far enough away from the actual welding
or cutting operation so that sparks, hot slag, or flame will not reach
them. When this is impractical, fire resistant shields shall be provided.
(b) Cylinders shall be placed where they cannot become part of an electrical
circuit. Electrodes shall not be struck against a cylinder to strike
an arc.
(c) Fuel gas cylinders shall be placed with valve end up whenever they
are in use. They shall not be placed in a location where they would
be subject to open flame, hot metal, or other sources of artificial
heat.
(d) Cylinders containing oxygen or acetylene or other fuel gas shall
not be taken into confined spaces.
(3) Treatment of cylinders.
(a) Cylinders, whether full or empty, shall not be used as rollers
or supports.
(b) No person other than the gas supplier shall attempt to mix gases
in a cylinder. No one except the owner of the cylinder or person authorized
by the owner, shall refill a cylinder. No one shall use a cylinder's
contents for purposes other than those intended by the supplier. All
cylinders used shall meet the department of transportation requirements,
Specification for Cylinders, (49 CFR Part 178, Subpart C).
(c) No damaged or defective cylinder shall be used.
(4) Use of fuel gas. The employer shall thoroughly instruct employees
in the safe use of fuel gas, as follows:
(a) Before a regulator to a cylinder valve is connected, the valve
shall be opened slightly and closed immediately. (This action is generally
termed “cracking” and is intended to clear the valve of dust or dirt
that might otherwise enter the regulator.) The person cracking the valve
shall stand to one side of the outlet, not in front of it. The valve
of a fuel gas cylinder shall not be cracked where the gas would reach
welding work, sparks, flame, or other possible sources of ignition.
(b) The cylinder valve shall always be opened slowly to prevent damage
to the regulator. For quick closing, valves on fuel gas cylinders shall
not be opened more than 1 1/2 turns. When a special wrench is required,
it shall be left in position on the stem of the valve while the cylinder
is in use so that the fuel gas flow can be shut off quickly in case
of an emergency. In the case of manifolded or coupled cylinders, at
least one such wrench shall always be available for immediate use. Nothing
shall be placed on top of a fuel gas cylinder, when in use, which may
damage the safety device or interfere with the quick closing of the
valve.
(c) Fuel gas shall not be used from cylinders through torches or other
devices which are equipped with shutoff valves without reducing the
pressure through a suitable regulator attached to the cylinder valve
or manifold.
(d) Before a regulator is removed from a cylinder valve, the cylinder
valve shall always be closed and the gas released from the regulator.
(e) If, when the valve on a fuel gas cylinder is opened, there is found
to be a leak around the valve stem, the valve shall be closed and the
gland nut tightened. If this action does not stop the leak, the use
of the cylinder shall be discontinued, and it shall be properly tagged
and removed from the work area. In the event that fuel gas should leak
from the cylinder valve, rather than from the valve stem, and the gas
cannot be shut off, the cylinder shall be properly tagged and removed
from the work area. If a regulator attached to a cylinder valve will
effectively stop a leak through the valve seat, the cylinder need not
be removed from the work area.
(f) If a leak should develop at a fuse plug or other safety device,
the cylinder shall be removed from the work area.
(g) Cylinders not having fixed hand wheels shall have keys, handles,
or nonadjustable wrenches on valve stems while in service. In multiple
cylinder installations one and only one key or handle is required for
each manifold.
(5) Fuel gas and oxygen manifolds.
(a) Fuel gas and oxygen manifolds shall bear the name of the substance
they contain in letters at least 1-inch high which shall be either painted
on the manifold or on a sign permanently attached to it.
(b) Fuel gas and oxygen manifolds shall be placed in safe, well ventilated,
and accessible locations. They shall not be located within enclosed
spaces.
(c) Manifold hose connections, including both ends of the supply hose
that lead to the manifold, shall be such that the hose cannot be interchanged
between fuel gas and oxygen manifolds and supply header connections.
Adapters shall not be used to permit the interchange of hose. Hose connections
shall be kept free of grease and oil.
(d) When not in use, manifold and header hose connections shall be
capped.
(e) Nothing shall be placed on top of a manifold, when in use, which
will damage the manifold or interfere with the quick closing of the
valves.
(6) Hose.
(a) Fuel gas hose and oxygen hose shall be easily distinguishable from
each other. The contrast may be made by different colors or by surface
characteristics readily distinguishable by the sense of touch. Oxygen
and fuel gas hoses shall not be interchangeable. A single hose having
more than one gas passage shall not be used.
(b) When parallel sections of oxygen and fuel gas hose are taped together,
not more than 4 inches out of 12 inches shall be covered by tape.
(c) All hose in use, carrying acetylene, oxygen, natural or manufactured
fuel gas, or any gas or substance which may ignite or enter into combustion,
or be in any way harmful to employees, shall be inspected at the beginning
of each working shift. Defective hose shall be removed from service.
(d) Hose which has been subject to flashback, or which shows evidence
of severe wear or damage, shall be tested to twice the normal pressure
to which it is subject, but in no case less than 300 p.s.i. Defective
hose, or hose in doubtful condition, shall not be used.
(e) Hose couplings shall be of the type that cannot be unlocked or
disconnected by means of a straight pull without rotary motion.
(f) Boxes used for the storage of gas hose shall be ventilated.
(g) Hoses, cables, and other equipment shall be kept clear of passageways,
ladders and stairs.
(7) Torches.
(a) Clogged torch tip openings shall be cleaned with suitable cleaning
wires, drills, or other devices designed for such purpose.
(b) Torches in use shall be inspected at the beginning of each working
shift for leaking shutoff valves, hose couplings, and tip connections.
Defective torches shall not be used.
(c) Torches shall be lighted by friction lighters or other approved
devices, and not by matches or from hot work.
(8) Regulators and gauges. Oxygen and fuel gas pressure regulators, including
their related gauges, shall be in proper working order while in use.
(9) Oil and grease hazards. Oxygen cylinders and fittings shall be kept
away from oil or grease. Cylinders, cylinder caps and valves, couplings,
regulators, hose, and apparatus shall be kept free from oil or greasy
substances and shall not be handled with oily hands or gloves. Oxygen
shall not be directed at oily surfaces, greasy clothes, or within a fuel
oil or other storage tank or vessel.
(10) Additional rules. For additional details not covered in this Part,
applicable portions of American National Standards Institute,
Z49.1-1973, Safety in Welding and Cutting, shall apply.
You are also required to protect employees from exposure to hexavalent
chromium during the stainless steel welding process. See WAC
296-62-08003, Hexavalent chromium for specific criteria.
(a) Only manual electrode holders which are specifically designed for
arc welding and cutting, and are of a capacity capable of safely handling
the maximum rated current required by the electrodes, shall be used.
(b) Any current-carrying parts passing through the portion of the holder
which the arc welder or cutter grips in the hand, and the outer surfaces
of the jaws of the holder, shall be fully insulated against the maximum
voltage encountered to ground.
(2) Welding cables and connectors.
(a) All arc welding and cutting cables shall be of the completely insulated,
flexible type, capable of handling the maximum current requirements
of the work in progress, taking into account the duty cycle under which
the arc welder or cutter is working.
(b) Only cable free from repair or splices for a minimum distance of
10 feet from the cable end to which the electrode holder is connected
shall be used, except that cables with standard insulated connectors
or with splices whose insulating quality is equal to that of the cable
are permitted.
(c) When it becomes necessary to connect or splice lengths of cable
one to another, substantial insulated connectors of a capacity at least
equivalent to that of the cable shall be used. If connections are effected
by means of cable lugs, they shall be securely fastened together to
give good electrical contact, and the exposed metal parts of the lugs
shall be completely insulated.
(d) Cables in need of repair shall not be used. When a cable, other
than the cable lead referred to in subdivision (b) of this subsection,
becomes worn to the extent of exposing bare conductors, the portion
thus exposed shall be protected by means of rubber and friction tape
or other equivalent insulation.
(3) Ground returns and machine grounding.
(a) A ground return cable shall have a safe current carrying capacity
equal to or exceeding the specified maximum output capacity of the arc
welding or cutting unit which it services. When a single ground return
cable services more than one unit, its safe current-carrying capacity
shall equal or exceed the total specified maximum output capacities
of all the units which it services.
(b) Pipelines containing gases or flammable liquids, or conduits containing
electrical circuits, shall not be used as a ground return. For welding
on natural gas pipelines, the technical portions of regulations issued
by the Department of Transportation, Office of Pipeline Safety, Minimum
Federal Safety Standards for Gas Pipelines shall apply.(49 CFR Part
192, Subpart C.)
(c) When a structure or pipeline is employed as a ground return circuit,
it shall be determined that the required electrical contact exist at
all joints. The generation of an arc, sparks, or heat at any point shall
cause rejection of the structures as a ground circuit.
(d) When a structure or pipeline is continuously employed as a ground
return circuit, all joints shall be bonded, and periodic inspections
shall be conducted to ensure that no condition of electrolysis or fire
hazard exists by virtue of such use.
(e) The frames of all arc welding and cutting machines shall be grounded
either through a third wire in the cable containing the circuit conductor
or through a separate wire which is grounded at the source of the current.
Grounding circuits, other than by means of the structure, shall be checked
to ensure that the circuit between the ground and the grounded power
conductor has resistance low enough to permit sufficient current to
flow to cause the fuse or circuit breaker to interrupt the current.
(f) All ground connections shall be inspected to ensure that they are
mechanically strong and electrically adequate for the required current.
(4) Operating instructions. Employers shall instruct employees in the
safe means of arc welding and cutting as follows:
(a) When electrode holders are to be left unattended, the electrodes
shall be removed and the holders shall be so placed or protected that
they cannot make electrical contact with employees or conducting objects.
(b) Hot electrode holders shall not be dipped in water; to do so may
expose the arc welder or cutter to electric shock.
(c) When the arc welder or cutter has occasion to leave work or to
stop work for any appreciable length of time, or when the arc welding
or cutting machine is to be moved, the power supply switch to the equipment
shall be opened.
(d) Any faulty or defective equipment shall be reported to the supervisor.
(5) Shielding. Whenever practical, all arc welding and cutting operations
shall be shielded by noncombustible or flameproof screens which will protect
employees and other persons working in the vicinity from the direct rays
of the arc.
(6) Employee protection. Where welding or cutting operations are being
performed in areas where it is possible for molten slag to contact other
employees, those employees shall be protected from being burned by providing
overhead protection, barricading the impact area, or other effective means.
(1) General requirements. Employees exposed to the hazards created
by welding, cutting, or brazing operations shall be protected
by personal protective equipment in accordance with the requirements
of chapter 296-800
WAC, and chapter
296-24 WAC, Part I. Appropriate protective clothing required
for any welding operation will vary with the size, nature and
location of the work to be performed.
(2) Specified protective clothing. Protective means which may be employed
are as follows:
(a) Except when engaged in light work, all welders should wear flameproof
gauntlet gloves.
(b) Flameproof aprons made of leather, or other suitable material may
also be desirable as protection against radiated heat and sparks.
(c) Woolen clothing preferable to cotton because it is not so readily
ignited and helps protect the welder from changes in temperature. Cotton
clothing, if used, should be chemically treated to reduce its combustibility.
All outer clothing such as jumpers or overalls should be reasonably
free from oil or grease.
(d) Sparks may lodge in rolled-up sleeves or pockets of clothing, or
cuffs of overalls or trousers. It is therefore recommended that sleeves
and collars be kept buttoned and pockets be eliminated from the front
of overalls and aprons. Trousers or overalls should not be turned up
on the outside.
Note: For heavy work, fire-resistant leggings, high
boots, or other equivalent means should be used.
(e) In production work a sheet metal screen in front of the worker's
legs can provide further protection against sparks and molten metal
in cutting operations.
(f) Capes or shoulder covers made of leather or other suitable materials
should be worn during overhead welding or cutting operations. Leather
skull caps may be worn under helmets to prevent head burns.
(g) Where there is exposure to sharp or heavy falling objects, or a
hazard of bumping in confined spaces, hard hats or head protectors shall
be used.
(1) When practical, objects to be welded, cut, or heated shall be moved
to a designated safe location or, if the objects to be welded, cut, or
heated cannot be readily moved, all movable fire hazards in the vicinity
shall be taken to a safe place, or otherwise protected.
(2) If the object to be welded, cut, or heated cannot be moved and if
all the fire hazards cannot be removed, positive means shall be taken
to confine the heat, sparks, and slag, and to protect the immovable fire
hazards from them.
(3) No welding, cutting, or heating shall be done where the application
of flammable paints, or the presence of other flammable compounds, or
heavy dust concentrations creates a hazard.
(4) Suitable fire extinguishing equipment shall be immediately available
in the work area and shall be maintained in a state of readiness for instant
use.
(5) When the welding, cutting, or heating operation is such that normal
fire prevention precautions are not sufficient, additional personnel shall
be assigned to guard against fire while the actual welding, cutting, or
heating operation is being performed, and for a sufficient period of time
after completion of the work to ensure that no possibility of fire exists.
Such personnel shall be instructed as to the specific anticipated fire
hazards and how the firefighting equipment provided is to be used.
(6) When welding, cutting, or heating is performed on walls, floors,
and ceilings, since direct penetration of sparks or heat transfer may
introduce a fire hazard to an adjacent area, the same precautions shall
be taken on the opposite side as are taken on the side on which the welding
is being performed.
(7) For the elimination of possible fire in enclosed spaces as a result
of gas escaping through leaking or improperly closed torch valves, the
gas supply to the torch shall be positively shut off at some point outside
the enclosed space whenever the torch is not to be used or whenever the
torch is left unattended for a substantial period of time, such as during
the lunch period. Overnight and at the change of shifts, the torch and
hose shall be removed from the confined space. Open end fuel gas and oxygen
hoses shall be immediately removed from enclosed spaces when they are
disconnected from the torch or other gas-consuming device.
(8) Except when the contents are being removed or transferred, drums,
pails, and other containers, which contain or have contained flammable
liquids, shall be kept closed. Empty containers shall be removed to a
safe area apart from hot work operations or open flames.
(9) Drums, containers, or hollow structures which have contained toxic
or flammable substances shall, before welding, cutting, or heating is
undertaken on them, either be filled with water or thoroughly cleaned
of such substances and ventilated and tested. For welding, cutting and
heating on steel pipelines containing natural gas, the pertinent portions
of regulations issued by the Department of Transportation, Office of Pipeline
Safety, Minimum Federal Safety Standards for Gas Pipelines, shall apply.
(49 CFR Part 192, Subpart C.)
(10) Before heat is applied to a drum, container, or hollow structure,
a vent or opening shall be provided for the release of any built-up pressure
during the application of heat.
WAC 296-155-415
Ventilation and protection in welding, cutting, and heating.
(1) Mechanical ventilation. For purposes of this section, mechanical
ventilation shall meet the following requirements:
(a) Mechanical ventilation shall consist of either general mechanical
ventilation systems or local exhaust systems.
(b) General mechanical ventilation shall be of sufficient capacity
and so arranged as to produce the number of air changes necessary to
maintain welding fumes and smoke within safe limits, as defined in Part
B of this chapter.
(c) Local exhaust ventilation shall consist of freely movable hoods
intended to be placed by the welder or burner as close as practicable
to the work. This system shall be of sufficient capacity and so arranged
as to remove fumes and smoke at the source and keep the concentration
of them in the breathing zone within safe limits as defined in Part
B of this chapter.
(d) Contaminated air exhausted from a working space shall be discharged
into the open air or otherwise clear of the source of intake air.
(e) All air replacing that withdrawn shall be clean and respirable.
(f) Oxygen shall not be used for ventilation purposes, comfort cooling,
blowing dust from clothing, or for cleaning the work area.
(2) Welding, cutting, and heating in confined spaces.
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) of this subsection and subdivision
(b) of subsection (3) of this section, either general mechanical or
local exhaust ventilation meeting the requirements of subsection (1)
of this section shall be provided whenever welding, cutting, or heating
is performed in a confined space.
(b) When sufficient ventilation cannot be obtained without blocking
the means of access, employees in the confined space shall be protected
by air line respirators in accordance with the requirements of Part
C of this chapter, and an employee on the outside of such a confined
space shall be assigned to maintain communication with those working
within it and to aid them in an emergency.
(3) Welding, cutting, or heating of metals of toxic significance.
(a) Welding, cutting, or heating in any enclosed spaces involving the
metals specified in this subsection shall be performed with either general
mechanical or local exhaust ventilation meeting the requirements of
subsection (1) of this section:
(i) Zinc-bearing base or filler metals or metals coated with zinc-bearing
materials.
(ii) Lead base metals;
(iii) Cadmium-bearing filler materials;
(iv) Chromium-bearing metals or metals coated with chromium-bearing
materials.
(b) Welding, cutting, or heating in any enclosed spaces involving the
metals specified in this subdivision shall be performed with local exhaust
ventilation in accordance with the requirements of subsection (1) of
this section, or employees shall be protected by air line respirators
in accordance with the requirements of Part C of this chapter.
(i) Metals containing lead, other than as an impurity, or metals
coated with lead-bearing materials;
(ii) Cadmium-bearing or cadmium-coated base metals;
(iii) Metals coated with mercury-bearing metals;
(iv) Beryllium-containing base or filler metals. Because of its high
toxicity, work involving beryllium shall be done with both local exhaust
ventilation and air line respirators.
(c) Employees performing such operations in the open air shall be protected
by filter-type respirators in accordance with the requirements of Part
C of this chapter, except that employees performing such operations
on beryllium-containing base or filler metals shall be protected by
air line respirators in accordance with the requirements of Part C of
this chapter.
(d) Other employees exposed to the same atmosphere as the welders or
burners shall be protected in the same manner as the welder or burner.
(4) Inert-gas metal-arc welding.
(a) Since the inert-gas metal-arc welding process involves the production
of ultra-violet radiation of intensities of 5 to 30 times that produced
during shielded metal-arc welding, the decomposition of chlorinated
solvents by ultraviolet rays, and the liberation of toxic fuels and
gases, employees shall not be permitted to engage in, or be exposed
to the process until the following special precautions have been taken:
(i) The use of chlorinated solvents shall be kept at least 200 feet,
unless shielded, from the exposed arc, and surfaces prepared with
chlorinated solvents shall be thoroughly dry before welding is permitted
on such surfaces.
(ii) Employees in the area not protected from the arc by screening
shall be protected by filter lenses meeting the requirements of Part
C of this chapter. When two or more welders are exposed to each other's
arc, filter lens goggles of a suitable type, meeting the requirements
of Part C of this chapter shall be worn under welding helmets. Hand
shields to protect the welder against flashes and radiant energy shall
be used when either the helmet is lifted or the shield is removed.
(iii) Welders and other employees who are exposed to radiation shall
be suitably protected so that the skin is covered completely to prevent
burns and other damage by ultraviolet rays. Welding helmets and hand
shields shall be free of leaks and openings, and free of highly reflective
surfaces.
(iv) When inert-gas metal-arc welding is being performed on stainless
steel, the requirements of subdivision (b) of subsection (3) of this
section shall be met to protect against dangerous concentrations of
nitrogen dioxide.
(5) General welding, cutting, and heating.
(a) Welding, cutting, and heating, not involving conditions or materials
described in subsections (2), (3), or (4) of this section, may normally
be done without mechanical ventilation or respiratory protective equipment,
but where, because of unusual physical or atmospheric conditions, an
unsafe accumulation of contaminants exists, suitable mechanical ventilation
or respiratory protective equipment shall be provided.
(b) Employees performing any type of welding, cutting, or heating shall
be protected by suitable eye protective equipment in accordance with
the requirements of Part C of this chapter.
WAC 296-155-420
Welding, cutting, and heating in way of preservative coatings.
(1) Before welding, cutting, or heating is commenced on any surface covered
by a preservative coating whose flammability is not known, a test shall
be made by a competent person to determine its flammability. Preservative
coatings shall be considered to be highly flammable when scrapings burn
with extreme rapidity.
(2) Precautions shall be taken to prevent ignition of highly flammable
hardened preservative coatings. When coatings are determined to be highly
flammable, they shall be stripped from the area to be heated to prevent
ignition.
(3) Protection against toxic preservative coatings:
(a) In enclosed spaces, all surfaces covered with toxic preservatives
shall be stripped of all toxic coatings for a distance of at least 4
inches from the area of heat application, or the employees shall be
protected by air line respirators, meeting the requirements of Part
C of this chapter.
(b) In the open air, employees shall be protected by a respirator,
in accordance with requirements of Part C of this chapter.
(4) The preservative coatings shall be removed a sufficient distance
from the area to be heated to ensure that the temperature of the unstripped
metal will not be appreciably raised. Artificial cooling of the metal
surrounding the heating area may be used to limit the size of the area
required to be cleaned.
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