BASIC ELEMENTS OF WELDING

Current adjustment amps

Welding Machine
Electrode holder

SAFETY IN WELDING
The body of the welding machine should be earth

 The terminals of the welding cable should be provided with lugs and kept
tight
The joint in the cable should be made with terminals kept tight and well
insulated with heat resistant tape
The cable should be free from joints at least for a length of three meters
from electrode holder to avoid shock hazard
Other electrical cable should not be kept laid with welding cable to avoid
insulation damage
For the return lead only proper cable should be used using rods angles
channels etc should be avoided
Never change electrode with bare hands or wet gloves when standing on
wet floors
HAZARDS
Fire
Shock
Health hazards
Hazards to eye & face from welding brazing soldering and cutting
operations
o Intense light and radiation from welding arc
o Flying sparks
o Metal sputter and slag chips
o
o
o
o

HEALTH HAZARDS
I. Exposure to toxic gases generated during welding may produce one or
more of the following effects
II. In flammation of the lungs (chemical phenmonitis)
III. Pulmonary edema (swelling and accumulation of fluids)
IV. Chronic bronchitis
V. Asphyxiation
HAZARDS AT SITE

Working over load

Working in confined spaces
Welding or cutting tanks or vessels
Tripping hazards

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

Elimination or substitution
Modification of the process or engineering
Local exhaust ventilation
Personal protective equipments

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN ASSESSMENTS

o Welding position
o Welding location
o Duration exposure

GAS CUTTING

ACETYLENE CYLINDERS
Maroon in color
Acetylene gas (C2H2) Is dissolved in acetone (liquid) and stored at 250
Psi in as specially designed cylinder
Acetylene cylinder has a volume at 8.5 m3
OXYGEN CYLINDERS
o Oxygen is a colors less tasteless and odor less gas and is slightly heavier
than air
o Oxygen cylinders black in colour
o Oxygen stored at 2200psi
o Oxygen cylinders has a volume of 6.9m3
CYLINDER STORAGE
Well ventilated room
No open flame in the store
10m distance from oxygen and acetylene cylinder

 No materials that are prone spontaneous combustion

Should not be stored in direct sun light
Cylinders containing oxygen shall be stored separate from cylinders fuel
gages
Minimum 10 feet distance shall be maintained between the storage areas

UN LOADING FROM TRUCK

Never drop
Use wooden ramp and coir matters
Keep the top of the cylinder up
Roll the cylinder keeping it up right
LIFTING CYLINDERS BY CRANE
o Use of cradle
o 4leg bridle sling
o D-shackle and lifting lug
USE OF CYLINDERS TROLLEY
Shifting cylinders at site
Avoid rolling & manual carrying
Use trolley
RIGHT OPERATION
Keep the cylinder up right away from hot jobs
Fix the DA and oxygen regulator to the respective cylinders after ensuring
free from dirt or grease

 Connect the cutting hoses to the regulators and cutogen with hose clamps
blue and black hoses for oxygen and red for DA
Open the DA regulator the torch valve and light the gas then open the
oxygen valves to the required pressure
After cutting start closing from oxygen and then DA
Open the cylinder and check for leakage by soap water test at the joints
The same to be followed for the oxygen cylinder close the cylinders
Purge the oxygen line and then the DA line after the other and close the
valves
CUTTING NOZZLE
MAX. MATERIALS
THICKNESS
(MS IN MM)
12
25
50
75
100
150
200
250
300

SIZE OF NOZZLE

CUTTING OXYGEN
PRESSURE IN KG/CM2

1/32
3/64
1/16
1/16
1/16
5/64
3/32
7/64
1/8

1.4
3.0
4.0
4.0
5.0
5.5
7.5
8.0
8.0

HAZARDS
o Flash back
o Back fire
o General fire
o Explosion
FLASH BACK
Retrogression of the fire up to the cylinder
BACK FIRE

 Retrogression of the fire in the cutogen

REASONS

When the blow pipe be comes hot

Nozzle close to the job
Nozzle blocked
Job close to the ground
Pressure difference between flame pressure and the hose pressure

IF A BACK FIRE OCCURS