Thermal arc 161 s safety instructions – Tweco 161 S UK User Manual
Page 8
Safety Instructions
1-2
Manual 0-5183
THERMAL ARC 161 S
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING
FUMES AND GASES can be hazardous to your
health.
Welding produces fumes and gases. Breathing these
fumes and gases can be hazardous to your health.
1. Keep your head out of the fumes. Do not breathe the fumes.
2. If inside, ventilate the area and/or use exhaust at the arc to
remove welding fumes and gases.
3. If ventilation is poor, use an approved air-supplied respirator.
4. Read the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) and the
manufacturer’s instruction for metals, consumables, coatings,
and cleaners.
5. Work in a confined space only if it is well ventilated, or while
wearing an air-supplied respirator. Shielding gases used for
welding can displace air causing injury or death. Be sure the
breathing air is safe.
6. Do not weld in locations near degreasing, cleaning, or spraying
operations. The heat and rays of the arc can react with vapours
to form highly toxic and irritating gases.
7. Do not weld on coated metals, such as galvanized, lead, or
cadmium plated steel, unless the coating is removed from the
weld area, the area is well ventilated, and if necessary, while
wearing an air-supplied respirator. The coatings and any metals
containing these elements can give off toxic fumes if welded.
WARNING
WELDING can cause fire or explosion.
Sparks and spatter fly off from the welding arc.
The flying sparks and hot metal, weld spatter, hot
workpiece, and hot equipment can cause fires and
burns. Accidental contact of electrode or welding
wire to metal objects can cause sparks, overheating,
or fire.
1. Protect yourself and others from flying sparks and hot metal.
2. Do not weld where flying sparks can strike flammable
material.
3. Remove all flammables within 10.7 m (35 ft) of the welding
arc. If this is not possible, tightly cover them with approved
covers.
4. Be alert that welding sparks and hot materials from welding
can easily go through small cracks and openings to adjacent
areas.
5. Watch for fire, and keep a fire extinguisher nearby.
6. Be aware that welding on a ceiling, floor, bulkhead, or partition
can cause fire on the hidden side.
7. Do not weld on closed containers such as tanks or drums.
8. Connect work cable to the work as close to the welding area
as practical to prevent welding current from travelling long,
Welding or Cutting
Operation
Electrode Size
Metal Thickness
or Welding Current
Filter
Shade
No.
Welding or Cutting
Operation
Electrode Size
Metal Thickness
or Welding
Filter
Shade
No.
Torch soldering
2
Gas metal-arc
welding (MIG)
Torch brazing
3 or 4
Non-ferrous base metal
All
11
Oxygen Cutting
Non-ferrous base metal
All
12
Light
Under 1 in., 25 mm
3 or 4
Gas tungsten arc welding
All
12
Medium
1 to 6 in., 25-150 mm
4 or 5
(TIG)
All
12
Heavy
Over 6 in., 150 mm
5 or 6
Atomic hydrogen welding
All
12
Gas welding
Carbon arc welding
All
12
Light
Under 1/8 in., 3 mm
4 or 5
Plasma arc welding
Medium 1/8 to 1/2 in., 3-12 mm
5 or 6
Carbon arc air gouging
Heavy
Over 1/2 in., 12 mm
6 or 8
Light
12
Shielded metal-arc
welding
(stick) electrodes
Under 5/32 in., 4 mm
10
Heavy
14
5/32 to 1/4 in.,
4 to 6.4 mm
12
Plasma arc cutting
Over 1/4 in., 6.4 mm
14
Light Under 300 Amp
9
Medium 300 to 400 Amp
12
Heavy Over 400 Amp
14
Eye protection filter shade selector for welding or cutting
(goggles or helmet), from AWS A6.2-73.