Welders ppe

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# Welding - Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (cont.) ## Why is eye protection important? Eye injury can occur from the intense light and radiation that a welding arc can produce. Eye injury can also occur from hot slag and other metal debris that can fly off from the weld during cooling, chipping or grinding. - Protect your eyes from welding light by wearing a welder's helmet fitted with a filter shade that is suitable for the type of welding you are doing. - ALWAYS wear safety glasses with side shields or goggles when chipping or grinding a work piece if you are not wearing a welding helmet. ## What type of eye and face protection is appropriate for my welding task? The various types of eye protection are broken down into classes in the CSA standard Z94.3- 20 "Eye and face protectors". Each class is designed for a specific use. Eye and face protectors should have distinctive markings to identify the manufacturer and their class. Classifications of common protectors for welding operations are listed below: - Class 2C — direct / non-ventilated goggles with non-ionizing radiation protection - Class 3 - welding helmets - Class 4 - welding hand shields - Class 6 - face shields for non-ionizing radiation protection - Class 7 - respirator facepiece for non-ionizing radiation protection The following operations require full face protection by using either a welding helmet or a hand shield: - arc welding, - plasma arc cutting, gouging or welding, and - air carbon arc cutting. For gas cutting, welding, or brazing, the intensity of the light is much less than from arc welding, cutting or gouging processes. Lighter shade filter lenses can be used with goggles in place of a helmet. More information can be found in the OSH Answers on Eye and Face Protectors. What are the various components of welding hand shields and helmets? Welding - Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing CCOHS

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# What should you know about using respirators when welding? Respiratory protection is needed when ventilation is not sufficient to remove welding fumes or when there is risk of oxygen deficiency. Select and use respirators in compliance with applicable regulations. Seek expert advice, conduct a hazard assessment, and initiate an appropriate respiratory protection program. For more information on selecting the appropriate respirators, see the OSH Answers on Respirator Selection. The process of selecting appropriate respiratory protection is also outlined in CSA standard Z94.4 and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard Z88.2 "Respiratory Protection". ## What are some tips to know when using protective clothing? DO - Wear clothing made from heavyweight, tightly woven, 100% wool or cotton to protect from UV radiation, hot metal, sparks and open flames. - Keep clothing clean and free of oils, greases and combustible contaminants. - Launder flame retardant fabrics according to the manufacturer's instructions. Some products such as chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide may damage the fabric or its properties. - Wear long-sleeved shirts with buttoned cuffs and a collar to protect the neck. Dark colours prevent light reflection. - Tape shirt pockets closed to avoid collecting sparks or hot metal or keep them covered with flaps. - Pant legs must not have cuffs and must cover the tops of the boots. Cuffs can collect sparks. - Repair all frayed edges, tears or holes in clothing. - Wear high-top boots fully laced to prevent sparks from entering into the boots. - Use fire-resistant boot protectors or spats strapped around the pant legs and boot tops, to prevent sparks from bouncing in the top of the boots. - Remove all ignition sources such as matches and butane lighters from pockets. Hot welding sparks may light the matches or ignite leaking lighter fuel. - Wear gauntlet-type cuff leather gloves or protective sleeves of similar material, to prot…

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# Occupational Safety and Health Administration (cont.) ## 1926.95(b) (cont.) Is of safe design and construction for the work to be performed; and 1926.95(c)(2) Is selected to ensure that it properly fits each affected employee. ## 1926.95(d) Payment for protective equipment. - 1926.95(d)(1) Except as provided by paragraphs (d)(2) through (d)(6) of this section, the protective equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), used to comply with this part, shall be provided by the employer at no cost to employees. - 1926.95(d)(2) - The employer is not required to pay for non-specialty safety-toe protective footwear (including steel-toe shoes or steel-toe boots) and non-specialty prescription safety eyewear, provided that the employer permits such items to be worn off the job-site. - 1926.95(d)(3) - When the employer provides metatarsal guards and allows the employee, at his or her request, to use shoes or boots with built-in metatarsal protection, the employer is not required to reimburse the employee for the shoes or boots. - 1926.95(d)(4) - The employer is not required to pay for: - 1926.95(d)(4)(i) - Everyday clothing, such as long-sleeve shirts, long pants, street shoes, and normal work boots; or 1926.95(d)(4)(ii) Ordinary clothing, skin creams, or other items, used solely for protection from weather, such as winter coats, jackets, gloves, parkas, rubber boots, hats, raincoats, ordinary sunglasses, and sunscreen. - 1926.95(d)(5) - The employer must pay for replacement PPE, except when the employee has lost or

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# Welding - Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (cont.) ## What should you know about filter shade selection? (cont.) - Do not use gas welding goggles for arc welding. - Do not substitute modified glasses, sunglasses, smoked plastic or other materials for proper welding lenses. The recommended shade numbers for oxygen cutting are shown in the table below. Shade Numbers for Cutting (from CSA W117.2) <table><tr><th>Process</th><th>Plate Thickness (in mm)</th><th>Minimum Shade #</th><th>Suggested Shade #</th></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Light Medium Heavy</td><td>&lt; 25</td><td>3</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>25 150</td><td>4</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>&gt; 150</td><td>5</td><td>6</td></tr></table> * In the US use ANSI/AWS Standard F2.2 for selecting filter lens shade. ## Can you wear contact lenses when welding? The CSA Standard W117.2 states that contact lenses should not be worn by welders and welding personnel because foreign bodies (objects) in the eye can cause excessive irritation. Contact lenses do not provide protection from ultraviolet radiation and flying objects. All workers in proximity to welding procedures must wear appropriate eye protection according to the circumstances. The OSH Answers document Contact Lenses at Work discusses how dust particles or chemicals can irritate the eyes. Note that in Canada, Prince Edward Island's Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations Section 45.11 specifically bans wearing contact lenses while welding. ## What measures can protect skin from welding radiation? - Wear tightly woven work-weight fabrics to keep UV radiation from reaching your skin. - Button up your shirt to protect the skin on the throat and neck. - Wear long sleeves and pant legs. - Cover your head with a fabric cap to protect the scalp from UV radiation. - Protect the back of your head by using a hood. - Protect your face from UV radiation by wearing a tight-fitting, opaque welder's helmet. - Make sure that all fabric …

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# Welding - Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (cont.) ## What type of PPE is available when welding? (cont.) <table><tr><th colspan="5">Welding - Personal Protective Equipment</th></tr><tr><td>Body Part</td><td>Equipment</td><td></td><td>Illustration</td><td>Reason</td></tr><tr><td>Eyes and face</td><td>Welding helmet, hand shield, or goggles</td><td>Helmet</td><td></td><td>Protects from: radiation flying particles, debris hot slag, sparks intense light irritation and chemical burns Wear fire resistant head coverings under the helmet where appropriate</td></tr><tr><td>Lungs (breathing)</td><td>Respirators</td><td></td><td></td><td>Protects against: fumes and oxides</td></tr></table> Welding - Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing CCOHS

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# OSHA FactSheet ## Personal Protective Equipment Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect workers from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physi- cal, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Besides face shields, safety glasses, hard hats, and safety shoes, protective equipment includes a variety of devices and garments such as goggles,coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs, and respirators. ## Employer Responsibilities OSHA's primary personal protective equip- ment standards are in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910 Subpart I, and equivalent regulations in states with OSHA- approved state plans, but you can find protec- tive equipment requirements elsewhere in the General Industry Standards. For example, 29 CFR 1910.156, OSHA's Fire Brigades Standard, has requirements for firefighting gear. In addi- tion, 29 CFR 1926.95-106 covers the construc- tion industry. OSHA's general personal protec- tive equipment requirements mandate that employers conduct a hazard assessment of their workplaces to determine what hazards are present that require the use of protective equipment, provide workers with appropriate protective equipment, and require them to use and maintain it in sanitary and reliable condition. Using personal protective equipment is often essential, but it is generally the last line of defense after engineering controls, work prac- tices, and administrative controls. Engineering controls involve physically changing a machine or work environment. Administrative controls involve changing how or when workers do their jobs, such as scheduling work and rotat- ing workers to reduce exposures. Work prac- tices involve training workers how to perform tasks in ways that reduce their exposure to workplace hazards. As an employer, you must assess your work- place to determine if hazards are present that require the use of personal protective equipment. If …

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# Welding - Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (cont.) ## What type of PPE is available when welding? (cont.) <table><tr><th colspan="4">Welding - Personal Protective Equipment</th></tr><tr><td>Body Part</td><td>Equipment</td><td>Illustration</td><td>Reason</td></tr><tr><td>Exposed skin (other than feet, hands, and head)</td><td>Fire/Flame resistant clothing and aprons</td><td>Heat resistant jacket No cuffs</td><td>Protects against: heat, fires burns radiation Notes: pants should not have cuffs, shirts should have flaps over pockets or be taped closed</td></tr><tr><td>Ears - hearing</td><td>Ear muffs, ear plugs</td><td>Ear protection</td><td>Protects against: noise Use fire resistant ear muffs where sparks or splatter may enter the ear, rather than plugs.</td></tr><tr><td>Feet and hands</td><td>Boots, gloves</td><td>Insulated Rubber-soled gloves safety shoes Steel</td><td>Protects against: electric shock heat burns fires</td></tr></table> Welding - Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing CCOHS

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# What should you know about using respirators when welding? (cont.) ## What are some tips to know when using protective clothing? (cont.) Wear leather aprons to protect your chest and lap from sparks when standing or sitting. - Wear layers of clothing. To prevent sweating, avoid overdressing in cold weather. Sweaty clothes cause rapid heat loss. Leather welding jackets are not very breathable and can make you sweat if you are overdressed. - Wear a fire-resistant skull cap or balaclava hood under your helmet to protect your head from burns and UV radiation. Wear a welder's face shield to protect your face from radiation and flying particles. ## DO NOT - Do not wear rings or other jewellery. - Do not wear clothing made from synthetic or synthetic blends. The synthetic fabric can burn vigorously, melt and produce bad skin burns. Fact sheet last revised: 2023-03-14 ## Disclaimer Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information, CCOHS does not guarantee, warrant, represent or undertake that the information provided is correct, accurate or current. CCOHS is not liable for any loss, claim, or demand arising directly or indirectly from any use or reliance upon the information. Welding - Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing CCOHS