•
Wear ear plugs when welding overhead
to prevent spatter or slag from falling
into ear.
•
Make sure welding area has a good,
solid, safe floor, preferably concrete or
masonry, not tiled, carpeted, or made of
any other flammable material.
•
Protect flammable walls, ceilings, and
floors with heat resistant covers or
shields.
•
Check welding area to make sure it is
free of sparks, glowing metal or slag, and
flames before leaving the welding area.
FUME HAZARDS
WARNING
FUMES, GASSES, AND VAPORS CAN
CAUSE DISCOMFORT, ILLNESS, AND
DEATH! To reduce the risk of discomfort,
illness, or death, read, understand, and
follow the following safety instructions. In
addition, make certain that anyone else that
uses this welding equipment or is a
bystander in the welding area, understands
and follows these safety instructions as well.
•
Do not weld in an area until it is checked
for adequate ventilation as described in
ANSI standard #Z49.1. If ventilation is
not adequate to exchange all fumes and
gasses generated during the welding
process with fresh air, do not weld unless
you (the welder) and all bystanders are
wearing air-supplied respirators.
•
Do not heat metals coated with, or that
contain, materials that produce toxic
fumes (such as galvanized steel), unless
the coating is removed. Make certain the
area is well ventilated, and the operator
and all bystanders are wearing air-sup-
plied respirators.
•
Do not weld, cut, or heat lead, zinc,
cadmium, mercury, beryllium, or similar
metals without seeking professional
advice and inspection of the ventilation of
the welding area. These metals produce
EXTREMELY TOXIC fumes which can
cause discomfort, illness, and death.
•
Do not weld or cut in areas that are near
chlorinated solvents. Vapors from
6
chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as
trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene,
can be decomposed by the heat of an
electric arc or its ultraviolet radiation.
These actions can cause PHOSGENE, a
HIGHLY TOXIC gas to form, along with
other lung and eye-irritating gasses. Do
not weld or cut where these solvent
vapors can be drawn into the work area
or where the ultraviolet radiation can
penetrate to areas containing even very
small amounts of these vapors.
•
Do not weld in a confined area unless it
is being ventilated or the operator (and
anyone else in the area) is wearing an
air-supplied respirator.
•
Stop welding if you develop momentary
eye, nose, or throat irritation as this
indicates inadequate ventilation. Stop
work and take necessary steps to
improve ventilation in the welding area.
Do not resume welding if physical
discomfort persists.
COMPRESSED GASSES AND
EQUIPMENT HAZARDS
WARNING
IMPROPER HANDLING AND
MAINTENANCE OF COMPRESSED GAS
CYLINDERS AND REGULATORS CAN
RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH!
To reduce the risk of injury or death from
compressed gasses and equipment hazards,
read, understand, and follow the following
safety instructions. In addition, make certain
that anyone else who uses this welding
equipment or a bystander in the welding
area understands and follows these safety
instructions as well.
•
Do not use flammable gasses with MIG
welders. Only inert or nonflammable
gasses are suitable for MIG welding.
Examples are Carbon Dioxide, Argon,
Helium, etc. or mixtures of more than one
of these gasses.
•
Do not attempt to mix gasses or refill a
cylinder yourself. Do not expose
cylinders to excessive heat, sparks, slag
and flame, etc. Cylinders exposed to