Choosing a welding kit

When employers select work equipment, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 require them to consider the risks posed to the health and safety of people using that equipment. This includes ergonomic risks.

When selecting a welding set, consider the effect poor equipment handling might have:

■personal suffering caused by injuries;
■the financial burden of sickness absence;
■reduced productivity;
■increased insurance premiums; and
■the welder being unable to return to this type of work, which would affect their potential future earnings.

Reducing injuries caused by handling welding equipment will benefit everybody.
Here are some ergonomic design features to look for when deciding between welding sets with the same power output:
■Does the set have to be carried? Consider controlled pushing or pulling of the load instead of lifting and carrying.
■How easily can the load be grasped?

Health and Safety Executive
■Are the handles suitable?
■Can the load be held close to the body (avoid sharp corners, jagged edges, rough surfaces etc)?
■Is it well balanced?

Other considerations include:
■handle orientation;
■ease of pushing/pulling;
■axle types;
■size of wheels;
■wear and maintenance of wheels/tyres;
■effect of torch, wire feed, hoses, gas bottles etc on the handling characteristics of the welding set.

The checklist in this leaflet will help you select the right welding set.

DC AC arc Welding Plant

• DC or AC arc welding plant shall be used Instruments, cables and the accessories shall conform to the requirements of the relevant Indian Standards wherever available


• Their capacity shall be adequate for the Welding procedure laid down. All welding plants shall be maintained in good working order.

• The arc shall be struck on the points/crossing and then the electrodes shall be progressively advanced by maintaining the arc using uniform movement.

• Means for measuring the current (tong tester) shall be available in addition to the current setting panel integrated with the welding plant.

• The actual output of welding current may not be equal to the current as set on the control panel in many cases, specially when the plant becomes old.

• The current range as recommended by the manufacturer for the particular brand of electrode selected for welding shall be used.

• All electrical appliances required with the welding plant shall be properly earthed.

• The points and crossings shall be pre-heated by oxyacetylene films to a temperature between 250 degree centigrade to 300 degree centigrade before welding.

• This temperature shall be maintained throughout the welding operation.

• If welding is to be interrupted for some reason, then the portions to be reclaimed subsequently shall be pre-heated again to the above temperature range before welding as continued.

• The pre-heating and inter pass temperature shall be measured either by contact type pyrometer or tempil stick. No post heat-treatment is required after welding.