Welding, cutting, and brazing - Washington

Washington’s state requirements regarding welding, cutting, and brazing include a substantial amount of regulatory information beyond the federal requirements. A summary of the additional requirements includes the following:

• WAC 296-24-680 says that welders of stainless steel must be protected from hexavalent chromium exposure according to WAC 296-62-08003.
• Only approved apparatus may be used. Use of replacement tips will not nullify the “approved apparatus” status of a torch if the replacement tips are made to the same specifications (or if the use of such tips in conjunction with converter/adaptors results in the same specifications) as the original tip of the torch at the time of approval.
• When cylinders are transported by powered vehicle they must be secured in a vertical position.
• A suitable cylinder truck, chain, or other steadying device must be used to prevent cylinders from being knocked over while in use.
• Signs must be conspicuously posted in fuel-gas cylinder storage rooms reading, "Danger No smoking, matches or open lights," or other equivalent wording.
• All component parts used in fuel-gas manifolds must be approved as to materials, design, and construction either separately or as an assembled unit.
• Each fuel-gas cylinder lead should be provided with a backflow check valve.
• After assembly, piping must be thoroughly blown out with air or nitrogen to remove foreign materials.
• Damaged union nuts and connections on regulators must be destroyed.
• Each acetylene generator must be provided with a vent pipe of Schedule 40 galvanized iron or steel, except that outside of buildings, vent pipes larger than 4 inches in diameter may be not less than 14 gage galvanized tubing or sheet steel.
• Separate rooms housing acetylene generators inside buildings must be of ample size.
• Calcium carbide storage buildings for the storage of more than 5,000 pounds of calcium carbide must be located away from congested mercantile and manufacturing districts.
• Outdoor calcium carbide storage areas must be at least 10 feet from lines of adjoining property that may be built upon.
• The following requirements apply to the installation and operation of welding, cutting, and related equipment for public exhibitions and demonstrations:
• • Installation and operation must be done by, or under the supervision of, a competent operator;
  • Cylinders containing compressed gases for use at the site must not be charged in excess of one-half their maximum permissible content;
  • Cylinders located at the site must be connected for use except that enough additional cylinders may be stored at the site to furnish approximately one day's consumption of each gas used;
  • Other cylinders must be stored in an approved storage area, preferably outdoors, but this storage area must not be located near a building exit;
  • Cylinders in excess of 40 pounds total weight being transported to or from the site must be carried on a hand or motorized truck;
  • The site must be constructed, equipped, and operated in such a manner that the demonstration will be carried out so as to minimize the possibility of injury to viewers;
  • Sites involving the use of compressed gases must be located so as not to interfere with the egress of people during an emergency;
  • The fire department must be notified in advance of such use of the site;
  • Each site must be provided with a portable fire extinguisher of appropriate size and type and with a pail of water (for additional requirements relating to portable fire extinguishers, see WAC 296-800-300;
  • The public and combustible materials at the site must be protected from flames, sparks, and molten metal;
  • Hoses must be located and protected so that they will not be physically damaged;
  • Cylinder valves must be closed when equipment is unattended;
  • Where caps are provided for valve protection, such caps must be in place except when the cylinders are in service or connected ready for service; and
  • Cylinders must be located or secured so that they cannot be knocked over.
• All press welding machine operations, where there is a possibility of the operator’s fingers being under the point of operation, shall be effectively safeguarded in accordance with machine guarding requirements found at WAC 296-806-20044 through 296-806-20054.
• Employers must follow WAC 296-806-20042 for guarding chains, gears, operating bus linkage, and belts.
• When trolleys are used to support portable welding equipment, they must be equipped with suitable forged steel clevis for the attachment of safety chains.
• For flash welding equipment, if the welding process cannot be isolated, all persons who may be exposed to the hazard of arc flash must be properly protected.
• Qualified personnel must conduct a job hazard analysis of the operations to be performed on each welding machine to determine the safeguards and personal protective equipment that must be used for each job.
• Where there is exposure to sharp or heavy falling objects, or a hazard of bumping in confined spaces, hard hats or head protectors must be used.
• Qualified maintenance personnel must conduct and maintain records of periodic inspections.
• The employer must ascertain the potentially hazardous materials associated with welding, cutting, etc., and inform employees of those hazards through signs, labels, or other appropriate means.
• The notice required on tags, boxes, or other contains holding brazing (welding) filler metals containing cadmium in significant amounts must include the words, “Keep children away when using.”
• The following requirements apply to welding, cutting, or heating on surfaces covered by a preservative coating:
• • If the preservative coating’s flammability is not known, a test must be made by a competent person before welding, cutting, or heating is commenced to determine its flammability (preservative coatings shall be considered to be highly flammable when scrapings burn with extreme rapidity);
  • Precautions must be taken to prevent ignition of highly flammable hardened preservative coatings, and when coatings are determined to be highly flammable, they must be stripped from the area to be heated to prevent ignition;
  • In enclosed spaces, all surfaces covered with toxic preservatives must be stripped of all toxic coatings for a distance of at least 4 inches from the area of heat application, or the employees must be protected by air line respirators;
  • In the open air, employees must be protected by a respirator suitable for the type of work being done; and
  • The preservative coatings must 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 (though artificial cooling of the metal surrounding the heating area may be used to limit the size of the area required to be cleaned).
• Washington state requirements indicate that the following actions “should” be performed:
• • Each fuel-gas cylinder lead should be provided with a backflow check valve;
  • Open circuit (no load) voltages of arc welding and cutting machines should be as low as possible consistent with satisfactory welding or cutting being done;
  • Starters with magnetic undervoltage release should be used with machines installed more than one to a circuit to prevent circuit overload caused by simultaneously starting of several motors upon return of voltage;
  • Control handles and wheels on arc welding machines should be large enough to be easily grasped by a gloved hand;
  • Where a structure, conveyor, or fixture is regularly employed as a welding current return circuit, appropriate periodic inspection should be conducted to ascertain that no condition of electrolysis or shock, or fire hazard exists by virtue of such use;
  • Work and electrode lead cables should be frequently inspected for wear and damage;
  • Hot repairs should preferably be made out of doors;
  • When combustibles are protected with flameproof covers, edges of covers at the floor should be tight to prevent sparks from going under them (this precaution is also important at overlaps where several covers are used to protect a large pile);
  • Within the confines of an operating plant or building, cutting and welding should preferably be done in a specific area designed for such work, such as a maintenance shop or a detached outside location; such areas should be of noncombustible or fire-resistive construction, essentially free of combustible and flammable contents, and suitably segregated from adjacent areas;
  • Goggles should be worn during arc welding or cutting operations to provide protection from injurious rays from adjacent work, and from flying objects; the goggles may have either clear or colored glass, depending upon the amount of exposure to adjacent welding operations;
  • Cover lenses or plates should be provided to protect each helmet, hand shield, or goggle filter lens or plate;
  • In individual instances other factors (such as atmospheric conditions, heat generated, and presence of volatile solvents) may be involved in welding, in which case ventilation or respiratory protective devices should be provided as needed to meet the safety requirements;
  • On every shift of welding operations there should be present employees trained to render first aid;
  • Except when engaged in light work, all welders should wear flameproof gauntlet gloves; flameproof aprons made of leather, asbestos, or other suitable material may also be desirable as protection against radiated heat and sparks; woolen clothing is preferable to cotton, but if used, cotton clothing should be chemically treated to reduce its combustibility; all outer clothing such as jumpers or overalls should be reasonably free from oil or grease;
  • Sparks may lodge in rolled-up sleeves or pockets of clothing, or cuffs of overalls or trousers, so sleeves and collars should be kept buttoned and pockets should be eliminated from the front of overalls and aprons; trousers or overalls should not be turned up on the outside; for heavy work, fire-resistant leggings, high boots, or other equivalent means should be used;
  • 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;
  • Capes or shoulder covers made of leather or other suitable materials should be worn during overhead welding or cutting operations, and leather skull caps may be worn under helmets to prevent head burns; and
  • For overhead welding and cutting, or welding and cutting in extremely confined spaces, ear protection is sometimes desirable.
  • The table, Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy, in WAC 296-24-70003, Eye Protection, is more extensive than the table in federal OSHA regulation, 29 CFR 1910.252, Welding, Cutting, and Brazing General Requirements.

To ensure that you are in compliance with these requirements, click on the following links to view the state and federal regulations regarding welding, cutting, and brazing: