(air-carbon arc gouging) COSHH essentials for welding, hot work and allied processes Control approach 2 Engineering control + Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
The Control of Substances What this sheet covers
Hazardous to Health This sheet describes good control practice when using arc-air gouging Regulations 2002 (COSHH) (air-carbon arc gouging). require employers to ensure that exposure is prevented or, It covers the key points you should follow to reduce exposure to an where this is not reasonably adequate level. practicable, adequately Follow all the points, or use equally effective measures. controlled. This guidance gives practical advice on how this Hazards can be achieved by applying ✓✓ Welding fume (which includes irritating gases such as oxides of the principles of good practice nitrogen and ozone) may cause respiratory irritation and metal fume for the control of exposure to fever. It can also increase susceptibility to pneumonia. In the longer substances hazardous to health, term, it can lead to serious lung diseases including chronic obstructive as required by COSHH. pulmonary disease (COPD), which used to be called chronic bronchitis, It is aimed at people whose and emphysema, occupational asthma and cancer. responsibilities include the ✓✓ Shielding gases (such as argon, helium and nitrogen, or argon-based management of substances mixtures containing carbon dioxide, oxygen or both) can cause hazardous to health at work asphyxiation (suffocation from lack of oxygen), usually resulting from (eg occupational health accumulation of the gases in confined spaces. specialists, anyone undertaking ✓✓ Fume and dust from allied processes, eg flame and arc cutting, COSHH assessments and blasting and post-weld dressing, can cause lung disease. Abrasive supervisors). It is also useful for blasting produces a great deal of dust that includes metals and trade union and employee safety metal oxides. representatives. It will help you ✓✓ Each situation is different. The hazard varies and is dependent on the carry out COSHH assessments, process, eg the metal thickness, surface coatings or contaminants, review existing assessments, and where the task is done. deliver training and supervise activities involving substances Access to work area hazardous to health. ✓✓ Allow access to authorised and appropriately trained people only. This guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Equipment and procedures Following the guidance is not ✓✓ Isolate this task from the compulsory, unless specifically workforce by carrying out the stated, and you are free to work in a booth or segregated take other action. But if you do area with local exhaust follow the guidance, you will ventilation (LEV). normally be doing enough to ✓✓ Provide an enclosed extracted comply with the law. Health and booth and RPE. safety inspectors seek to secure ✓✓ Provide an easy way of compliance with the law and checking the booth extraction may refer to this guidance. is working, eg airflow indicator See Essential information near the or equivalent. end of the sheet. ✓✓ Always confirm that the extraction is turned on and working at the start of work. Welding, hot work and allied processes - WL16 - Engineering control + Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) Health and Safety Executive
✓✓ Discharge extracted air to a safe place away from doors, windows and air inlets. ✓✓ Arrange work to reduce the worker’s exposure to the fume, eg welder’s head is out of the fume.
Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
✓✓ Provide a powered respirator with welding helmet, with a protection factor of 40 for tasks lasting less than 30 minutes per shift. ✓✓ Provide airline breathing apparatus (BA) for tasks lasting more than 30 minutes per shift. ✓✓ Wearers must be medically fit to wear BA. ✓✓ Air supplied to BA should meet minimum quality requirements, in line with the latest British Standard. ✓✓ Examine and test non-disposable RPE thoroughly at least once every three months and record this. ✓✓ Tell workers to check RPE is working properly before every use and record this. ✓✓ Keep RPE clean and store it in a clean place. ✓✓ Make suitable arrangements for maintenance, storage and replacement of RPE.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
✓✓ Ask your supplier to advise on suitable PPE. ✓✓ Ensure compatibility with RPE and other PPE required. ✓✓ Provide and ensure that workers use a welding visor, flame-resistant overalls and protective gloves. ✓✓ Use a contract laundry or a suitable equivalent to wash work clothing. Don’t allow workers to do this at home. ✓✓ Make suitable arrangements for maintenance, storage and replacement of PPE.
Personal decontamination ✓✓ Provide warm water, mild skin cleansers, and soft paper or fabric towels for drying. Avoid abrasive cleansers. ✓✓ Provide pre-work skin creams, which will make it easier to wash dirt from the skin. ✓✓ Provide after-work creams to replenish skin oils. Caution: ‘Barrier creams’ are not ‘liquid gloves’ and do not provide a full barrier.
Maintenance, examination and testing
✓✓ Keep all equipment used for the task in effective working order. Maintain it as advised by the supplier or installer. ✓✓ Check for signs of damage to control equipment before starting work. ✓✓ Have equipment thoroughly examined and tested against its performance standard, at suitable intervals. ✓✓ For LEV, a user manual or log book is helpful in setting out the frequency of checking, maintenance or parts replacement. Welding, hot work and allied processes - WL16 - Engineering control + Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) Health and Safety Executive
✓✓ For LEV with no user manual or log book, you may need the help of a competent person. They can determine the performance needed for adequate control. ✓✓ LEV systems require a statutory ‘thorough examination and test’ (TExT). ✓✓ Get a competent person to perform the TExT at least once every 14 months. ✓✓ Carry out all actions arising from the TExT. ✓✓ Keep an employer record for at least 5 years of TExT information such as target extraction rates which show the LEV is performing as originally intended. ✓✓ Several measures are available to check effectiveness of controls. These range from simple qualitative (eg. use of a dust lamp) to complex quantitative techniques (eg. air sampling) usually for higher-risk scenarios. ✓✓ HSG258 provides more detailed information on LEV systems and legal and competence requirements.
Exposure monitoring ✓✓ Exposure monitoring should be considered as a check on the effectiveness of control measures in place when welding: –– stainless steels; –– non-ferrous alloys; –– painted or coated metals. ✓✓ See sheet WL0 for further information.
Cleaning and housekeeping
✓✓ Keep the work area clean and free of combustible materials.
Health surveillance ✓✓ Provide health surveillance for asthma where there is a reasonable likelihood that asthma may occur in your workplace. See sheet G402 Training and supervision ✓✓ Provide supervision – ensure that safe work procedures are followed. ✓✓ Tell workers about the health hazards from welding fume. ✓✓ Provide workers with training on: –– Following safe working procedures. –– When and how to use controls. –– How to check they are working. –– How the LEV system works. –– How to use LEV to get the best out of it. –– How to check the LEV is working. –– What to do if something goes wrong. ✓✓ Provide them with training on handling chemicals safely, when and how to use controls, and how to check they are working. ✓✓ Involve managers and supervisors in health and safety training. ✓✓ Training records are helpful to demonstrate training has taken place. Welding, hot work and allied processes - WL16 - Engineering control + Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) Health and Safety Executive
Employee checklist Essential information
Are you sure about safe WL0 – Advice for managers work procedures? G402 – Health surveillance for occupational asthma
Is equipment in good condition and working G409 – Exposure measurement: Air sampling properly? Further information
Do you know how to use For further health and safety information for welding and allied the equipment properly? processes, visit the HSE welding website: www.hse.gov.uk/welding/
Use, maintain and store For further information on local exhaust ventilation (LEV): HSG258 your RPE and PPE Controlling airborne contaminants at work: A guide to local exhaust in accordance with ventilation (LEV) www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg258.htm instructions.
For further information on respiratory protective equipment: HSG53
Do you know how to operate the extraction Respiratory protective equipment at work - A practical guide system correctly? www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg53.htm
Look for signs of wear and COSHH Essentials Respiratory Protective Equipment R Series: damage for both your RPE www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/rseries.htm and extraction system. G series: General Guidance COSHH Essentials sheets:
If you find any problems, www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/gseries.htm tell your supervisor. Don’t just carry on working. You can find the full COSHH essentials series at: www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm
Co-operate with health surveillance. Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register: www.oshcr.org/
Wash your hands before HSE local exhaust ventilation (LEV) webpages: www.hse.gov.uk/lev/ eating, drinking, smoking, using the lavatory and For information about health and safety, visit https://books.hse.gov.uk after work. or http://www.hse.gov.uk
Never clean your You can view HSE guidance online and order priced publications from hands with solvents or the website. HSE priced publications are also available from bookshops. concentrated cleaning To report inconsistencies or inaccuracies in this guidance, email: products. [email protected]
Use skin creams provided as instructed.
