Page 144 - Quick Guide to Welding and Weld Inspection by S.E. Hughes, Clifford Matthews

A Quick Guide to Welding and Weld Inspection

Personal protective equipment (PPE)
PPE is defined in the Personal Protective Equipment at Work
Regulations (1992) as ‘all equipment (including clothing
affording protection against the weather) which is intended
to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects
him against one or more risks to his health or safety’.
Hearing protection and respiratory protective equipment are
not covered by these regulations because other regulations
apply to them, but they do need to be compatible with any
other PPE provided. The main requirement of the regulations
is that PPE is to be supplied and used at work wherever there
are risks to health and safety that cannot be adequately
controlled in other ways and that it is:
. Properly assessed before use to ensure it is suitable.
. Maintained and stored properly.
. Provided with instructions on how to use it safely.
. Used correctly by employees.
Arc welding can cause injury in many ways so the correct
PPE protection is essential and includes:
. Fire retardant overalls to protect skin from burns caused
by the powerful visible and ultraviolet light emitted. They
also protect from spatter (globules of burning metal)
which is thrown out during welding.
. Gloves to protect hands from burns from hot metal.
. A welding mask with dark filter where the mask itself can
afford direct protection from fumes and spatter. The
correct grade of filter will protect the eyes from the visible
and ultraviolet (UV) light emitted from the welding arc.
This UV light can lead to a severe eye irritation called ‘arc
eye’ (which feels like sand has been thrown into your eyes).
Any welder who has experienced arc eye will tell you how
painful it is and how little they would wish to repeat the
experience.
. Boots with steel toecaps to protect from falling objects.

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Woodhead Publishing Ltd – A Quick Guide to Welding and Weld Inspection
Data Standards Ltd, Frome, Somerset – 17/9/200909QG Welding chap9.3d Page 128 of 134