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Welding, cutting, and brazing are hazardous activities that pose a unique combination of both safety and health risks to more than 500,000 workers in a wide variety of industries. The risk from fatal injuries alone is more than four deaths per thousand workers over a working lifetime. Health hazards from welding, cutting, and brazing operations include exposures to metal fumes and to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Safety hazards from these operations include burns, eye damage, electrical shock, cuts, and crushed toes and fingers. Many of these can be controlled with proper work practices and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Scope
OSHA’s welding requirements apply to any employer with welding and cutting operations as part of its business.
Regulatory citations
- 29 CFR 1910.133 — Eye and face protection
- 29 CFR 1910.251 — Definitions
- 29 CFR 1910.252 — General requirements
- 29 CFR 1910.253 — Oxygen-fuel gas welding and cutting
- 29 CFR 1910.254 — Arc welding and cutting
- 29 CFR 1910.255 — Resistance welding
To Illustrate
Generally speaking, welding and cutting is not a typical safety topic for the warehousing and storage industry. However, some maintenance and repair operations may involve welding and/or cutting. For example, to repair a damaged upright of a storage rack, the repair kit you purchase may call for you to cut off the damaged portion. If your employees are not trained or equipped to handle welding and cutting tasks in-house, you may need to bring in a contractor to do the job. Either way, you must protect your employees from welding and cutting hazards, including fire and toxic gases and fumes.
Key definitions
- Approved: means listed or approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Refer to 1910.155(c)(3) for definitions of listed and approved, and 1910.7 for nationally recognized testing laboratory.
- Hot work: is any work that involves burning, welding, using fire- or spark-producing tools, or that produces a source of ignition.
- Welder and welding operator mean any operator of electric or gas welding and cutting equipment.
Summary of requirements
Employers must:
- Follow safety precautions for fire prevention and protection.
- Maintain suitable fire extinguishers.
- Provide a fire watch where required.
- Ensure areas are inspected and a permit issued before welding is allowed.
- Follow proper welding procedures.
- Provide PPE as needed.
- Ensure safety when working in confined spaces.
- Handle welding materials and equipment properly.
- Ensure proper marking of welding materials and equipment.
- Provide suitable ventilation.
- Maintain welding equipment.