It is every professional construction and fabrication provider responsibility to maintain a safe worksite. These safety practices protect not only the contractor’s crews but also any subcontractors, suppliers, client personnel and visitors. One prime area of consideration in any safety program is welding. The following are factors you need to review when practicing construction welding safety.
Guarding Against Fumes and Gases
Overexposure to welding fumes and gases is a health concern. The gases are produced whenever welding takes place. OSHA reports symptoms from short-term exposure can be nausea, lightheadedness, or irritation of the eye, nose, and throat. Additionally, prolonged exposure can result to lung, throat, or urinary tract cancer, and damage to the nervous system and kidney. Consequently, it’s essential in construction welding safety to have ventilation or exhaust to minimize exposure to potentially harmful substances in the fumes.
Stopping Fire and Explosions
The extreme temperatures caused by a welding arc cause a significant risk of fire and explosion hazard when safety procedures are not in place. The danger from the welding arc is not from its extremely high temperatures. The danger results from the intense heat adjacent to the arc, the heat, sparks, and spatter that spreads during welding. Conduct an inspection of the work area for any flammable materials such as gasoline, oil, paint, wood, cardboard, paper, acetylene, propane, and hydrogen. A proper construction welding safety program will see to the removal of these materials from the welding area to prevent fires or explosions.
Additional Construction Welding Safety Considerations
Other construction welding safety considerations on the jobsite include taking additional precautions if working in confined spaces. A welding operator needs to review all product safety information and manufacturer safety data sheets. The contractor should have appropriate safe practices in place and ensure they are followed by the welder and co-workers.
FI•CON practice rigorous safety procedures during every fabrication and construction project. Our combination fabrication and construction service, means we have the experience to tailor projects to each customer’s needs. Contact our experienced team today to discuss your next project at ficonusa.com or (386) 364-7647.
