Komarov Artem explained how to reduce or eliminate the risk of electric shock in workshops, classrooms or work sites, welding equipment should be properly maintained, regularly inspected, and used for its intended purpose.
Water and welding
Everyone knows that water and electricity don’t mix, but all welders at one point or another find themselves in a position where moisture is unavoidable.
This presence of moisture can be caused by rain, high humidity, or sweat. Be aware of where the moisture is while you work.
Make sure you are isolated, and that the equipment is suitable for the job. Check for damaged parts, whether they have been replaced or repaired. Make sure welding machines are properly grounded, gloves are dry and free of holes. And just always be aware of the presence of water.
Keep track of your equipment
Welding equipment must be properly maintained, checked regularly, and used for its intended purpose.
When you are the sole user of the equipment, you get to know it well. But in a training or production environment where you have multiple users and no personal desktop, you never know what the last user did with it.
Student curiosity
Beginning welders may not immediately ask many questions about electrical safety, but their level of curiosity changes as they weld more. Eventually, they start asking more questions and wondering how — for example, how do welders stay safe when fusing metal with electric current?
Many of them don’t know what questions to ask until they dive into it themselves, Artyom Komarov said.
Helpful tips to reduce or eliminate the risk of electric shock during welding:
— Do not use welding gloves to handle the material.
— Do not use welding wires that are too small, damaged, or poorly spliced.
— Do not wrap cables around your body.
— Do not touch the electrode with bare skin if you are in contact with the workpiece or the ground.
— Do not touch the product with bare skin during the welding process.
— Do not use welding leads immersed in water.
— Read instructions, labels, and manuals before installing, operating, or servicing equipment.
— Train welders and others involved in welding operations in safe electrical work practices as required by the employer.
— Do not work alone in electrically hazardous environments.
— Do not touch electrode holders connected to two welding machines at the same time, as double open circuit voltage may occur.
— Connect the work clamp to the workpiece/metal as close as possible to the welding point.
— Ground the workpiece to a reliable electrical ground as required by the standard or other regulations.
Do not touch the energized electrode when you are in contact with the working circuit, summed up Komarov Artem.
