Personal Protective Equipment

a. General. The electric arc is a very powerful source of light, including visible, ultraviolet, and infrared. Protective clothing and equipment must be worn during all welding operations. During all oxyacetylene welding and cutting proccesses, operators must use safety goggles to protect the eyes from heat, glare, and flying fragments of hot metals. During all electric welding processes, operators must use safety goggles and a hand shield or helmet equipped with a suitable filter glass to protect against the intense ultraviolet and infrared rays. When others are in the vicinity of the electric welding processes, the area must be screened so the arc cannot be seen either directly or by reflection from glass or metal.

 

b. Eye Protection.

(1) Welding arcs are intensely brilliant lights. They contain a proportion of ultraviolet light which may cause eye damage. For this reason, the arc should never be viewed with the naked eye within a distance of 50.0 ft (15.2 m). The brilliance and exact spectrum, and therefore the danger of the light, depends on the welding process, the metals in the arc, the arc atmosphere, the length of the arc, and the welding current. Operators, fitters, and those working nearby need protection against arc radiation. The intensity of the light from the arc increases with increasing current and arc voltage. Arc radiation, like all light radiation, decreases with the square of the distance. Those processes that produce smoke surrounding the arc have a less bright arc since the smoke acts as a filter. The spectrum of the welding arc is similar to that of the sun. Exposure of the skin and eyes to the arc is the same as exposure to the sun.

(2) Being closest, the welder needs a helmet to protect his eyes and face from harmful light and particles of hot metal. The welding helmet (fig. 2-1) is generally constructed of a pressed fiber insulating material. It has an adjustable headband that makes it usable by persons with different head sizes. To minimize reflection and glare produced by the intense light, the helmet is dull black in color. It fits over the head and can be swung upward when not welding. The chief advantage of the helmet is that it leaves both hands free, making it possible to hold the work and weld at the same time .

 

c. Skin protection

(1) Hands- Your hands are going to be near extremely hot material and the heat and light generated by welding can burn your skin in just a matter of seconds. Your hands are an extremely important part of your everyday life and your ability to weld is going to be based upon using your hands. Welding involves molten metal that is 2500 Deg F. When this molten metal comes in contact with your skin, you can receive some pretty serious burns. Your hands must be protected at all times when you are welding. In addition to the molten metal, the ultraviolet and infrared light is dangerous to your skin. Your hands are the closest to the light. Just as a bit of information, as the distance from the light food cuts in half, the amount of light reaching your skin is increased by a factor of 4. So your hands are considerably closer to the light and will always need protection. The best protection will come from leather gloves. The type of leather gloves will often depend upon the type of welding you are doing. GTAW can be performed with thinner leather gloves than would be needed for FCAW. Various types of welding gloves can be found at the local welding supply. These gloves whould be used for welding and NOT for picking up hot metal. As the gloves are repeatedly subjected to high heat of hot metal, they become stiffer and stiffer until are not much use for welding.  

(2) Neck and Arms- Your neck and arms are fairly tender compared to your hands. This skin is much easier to burn from the light alone. And in many positions, the chance for molten metal falling on thos areas can be signficant. Leather and flame retardant cotton are best used for shirts and jackets. There are various styles and types. It is important that when buttoned up that your neck is covered or at least the area that is not covered by the welding helmet. Each helmet may have different amounts of coverage on your neck. Here is a A neck Burn

(3) Your Legs and Feet- Your legs and feet are often subjected to the sparks resulting from welding. In many cases the restricted positions in which you weld getting to the affected area such as down in your shoe is very difficult. Heavy Denim pants are the norm. Frayed pants can end up as a pretty good hazard. If you would like to read someones first hand experience check out this forum.  Your shoes should be leather. I suggest if you have the preference for boots with laces, get shoes with a tongue that extends to both sides of the shoe. Otherwise, slipon boots are the way to go. This will minimize the molten metal getting to your foot.