Knowledge Center

General Safety Instructions

Equipment must only be used for the purpose it was designed for. Using it in any other way could result in damage or injury and in breach of the safety rules. Only suitably trained and competent persons should use the equipment. Operators should respect the safety of other persons.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE and workplace safety equipment must be compatible for the application of work involved. Welding arc rays from all the welding processes produce intense, visible and invisible (ultraviolet and infrared) rays that can burn eyes and skin.

Wear an approved welding helmet fitted with an appropriate shade of filter lens to protect your face and eyes when welding or watching.
Wear approved safety glasses with side shields under your helmet.
Never use broken or faulty welding helmets.
Always ensure there are adequate protective screens or barriers to protect others from flash, glare and sparks from the welding area.
Ensure that there are adequate warnings that welding or cutting is taking place.
Wear suitable protective flame resistant clothing, gloves and footwear.
Check and be sure the area is safe and clear of inflammable material before carrying out any welding.

Some welding and cutting operations may produce noise. Wear safety ear protection to protect your hearing if the ambient noise level exceeds the allowable limit (e.g: 85 dB).

Filter Lens Shade Selection Guide

CURRENT	MMA ELECTRODES	MIG LIGHT ALLOYS	MIG HEAVY METALS	MAG	TIG ON ALL METALS	PLASMA CUTTING	PLASMA WELDING	GOUGING ARC/AIR
10	8
15					9		10
20
30	9	10		10	10
40						11	11
60	10							10
80					11
100							12
125	11	11	11
150				12	12
175							13	11
200		12
225				13		12
250	12		12					12
275		13
300								13
350					14
400	13	14	13	14		13	14	14
450
500	14	15	14	15				15

Safety Against Fumes and Welding Gases

Locate the equipment in a well-ventilated position.
Keep your head out of the fumes. Do not breathe the fumes.
Ensure the welding zone is in a well-ventilated area.
If ventilation is poor, wear an approved respirator.
Read and understand the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and the manufacturer's instructions for metals, consumables, coatings, cleaners, and degreasers.
Do not weld in locations near any degreasing, cleaning, or spraying operations.
Be aware that heat and rays of the arc can react with vapors to form highly toxic and irritating gases.

Precautions Against Fire and Explosion

Avoid causing fires due to sparks and hot waste or molten metal.
Ensure that appropriate fire safety devices are available near the cutting/welding area.
Remove all flammable and combustible materials from the cutting/welding zone and surrounding areas.
Do not cut/weld fuel and lubricant containers, even if empty. These must be carefully cleaned before they can be cut/welded.
Always allow the cut/welded material to cool before touching it or placing it in contact with combustible or flammable material.
Do not work in atmospheres with high concentrations of combustible fumes, flammable gases, and dust.
Always check the work area half an hour after cutting to make sure that no fires have begun.
Take care to avoid accidental contact of electrode to metal objects. This could cause arcs, explosion, overheating, or fire.

General Operating Safety

Never carry the equipment or suspend it by the carrying strap or handles during welding.
Never pull or lift the machine by the welding torch or other cables.
Always use the correct lift points or handles.
Always use the transport under gear as recommended by the manufacturer.
Never lift a machine with the gas cylinder mounted on it.
If the operating environment is classified as dangerous, only use S-marked welding equipment with a safe idle voltage level.

Working Environment

Ensure the machine is mounted in a safe and stable position allowing for cooling air circulation.
Do not operate equipment in an environment outside the laid down operating parameters.
The welding power source is not suitable for use in rain or snow.
Always store the machine in a clean, dry space.
Ensure the equipment is kept clean from dust build up.
Always use the machine in an upright position.

Protection from Moving Parts

When the machine is in operation keep away from moving parts such as motors and fans.
Moving parts, such as the fan, may cut fingers and hands and snag garments.
Protections and coverings may be removed for maintenance and controls only by qualified personnel.
Replace the coverings and protections and close all doors when the intervention is finished and before starting the equipment.
Take care to avoid getting fingers trapped when loading and feeding wire during set up and operation.
Always ensure machine covers and protective devices are in operation.

Risks Due to Magnetic Fields

The magnetic fields created by high currents may affect the operation of pacemakers or electronically controlled medical equipment.

Wearers of vital electronic equipment should consult their physician before beginning any arc welding, cutting, gouging, or spot welding operations.
Do not go near welding equipment with any sensitive electronic equipment as the magnetic fields may cause damage.
Keep the torch cable and work return cable as close to each other as possible throughout their length. This can help minimize your exposure to harmful magnetic fields.
Do not wrap the cables around the body.

Handling of Compressed Gas Cylinders and Regulators

Always check the gas cylinder is the correct type for the welding to be carried out.
All cylinders and pressure regulators used in welding operations should be handled with care.
Never allow the electrode, electrode holder, or any other electrically "hot" parts to touch a cylinder.
Keep your head and face away from the cylinder valve outlet when opening the cylinder valve.
Always secure the cylinder safely and never move with regulator and hoses connected.
Always check for leaks.
Never deface or alter any cylinder.

General Electrical Safety

The equipment should be installed by a qualified person and in accordance with current standards in operation.
It is the user's responsibility to ensure that the equipment is connected to a suitable power supply.
Do not use the equipment with the covers removed.
Do not touch live electrical parts or parts which are electrically charged.
Turn off all equipment when not in use.
Cables (both primary supply and welding) should be regularly checked for damage and overheating.
Never use worn, damaged, under sized or poorly jointed cables.
Insulate yourself from work and earth using dry insulating mats or covers big enough to prevent any physical contact.
Never touch the electrode if you are in contact with the work piece return.
Do not wrap cables over your body.

WARNING:

This class A equipment is not intended for use in residential locations where the electrical power is provided by a public low-voltage supply system. In those locations it may be difficult to ensure the electromagnetic compatibility due to conducted and radiated disturbances.

Materials and Their Disposal

Welding or cutting equipment shall not contain any toxic or poisonous materials dangerous to the operator.

Do not dispose of the equipment with normal waste. Electrical equipment that has reached its end of life must be collected separately and returned to an environmentally compatible recycling facility for disposal.