Welding Equipments: Pressure Reducing Equipment and Torches

Oxygen, acetylene and other compressed gases shall never be used from a cylinder without reducing the pressure through a pressure-reducing regulator bearing an Underwriter Laboratory (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM) approval.Oxygen regulators shall be used only on oxygen cylinders and fuel gas regulators on fuel gas cylinders. Oxygen regulators are provided with national standard right hand threads and fuel gas regulators with left hand threads.

Handle all pressure regulating equipment with care to avoid damage to the mechanism.

Never use oil or grease on cutting or welding equipment for any purpose.

Regulators in need of repair shall be returned to the supplier or a person authorized to do such work shall make repairs. Inspect regulating equipment and torch prior to every use. Remove unsafe equipment from service.

Always stand to the side of regulators when opening or closing valves and making adjustments.

When a regulator is not in use, the pressure adjusting screw shall be released and the cylinder valve closed. A cylinder valve shall never be opened until the pressure adjustment screw on the regulator is fully released.

When burning or welding overhead, the regulators on the cylinders shall be properly protected to prevent sparks and objects from falling on them.

Regulators shall be removed from cylinders before cylinders are moved from one location to another unless they are in a carrier specifically designed for transporting.

For more information checkout here http://www.ehs.pitt.edu/assets/docs/hot-guide.pdf

Avoid Electric Shock While Welding

It is important to take precautions to avoid electric shock. The following are especially important precautions to be taken:

• Clothing. shoes, gloves and other protective equipment shall be kept as dry as possible.


• Always wear approved hand protection and never permit the metal part of an electrode or holder to touch your body.


• Electrodes shall be removed from the holder when not in use. Electrode holders when not in use shall be placed so they cannot make electrical contact with persons or conductive objects. Be careful to avoid shock when changing electrodes.


• Check equipment regularly to see that electrical connections and cable are in good condition. Be particularly alert that the electrode holder cable connection is in good condition and secure. Only approved ground connecting devices and rod holders shall be used.


• All welding lines and connections shall be insulated.


• Welding machines shall be shut off when work is stopped.


• Only authorized employees shall make repairs on welding machines.
  

To read the rest of the article http://www.ehs.pitt.edu/assets/docs/hot-guide.pdf