Health and Safety part2

Gas welding is a part of marine engineering which requires a greater knowledge in the health and safety with the equipment you are using as it involves bottles of highly pressurised gases and open flames. You always need to check your work area before you start welding to check where everything is such as fire extinguishers, the main gas cut off valve (if you aren't working straight off the bottles) and cold water taps incase of burning yourself on hot metal or the flame.

There are two cylinders involved one has oxygen and the other has acetylene. It is a worldwide requirement that they are colour coded. Oxygen-black Acetylene-red/maroon. When transporting and using the acetylene it must always be in an upright position secured but the oxygen doesnt need to be upright, still secured though.

Always check cylinders and valves for leakage and hoses for cracks, burns or and other damage

As you can see the hoses coming off the acetylene bottle are also red. With the oxygen the hoses are blue as a general rule which makes it easier to know which hoses goes to what bottle. It has also been designed so you can never put the hoses, gauges etc on the wrong bottles as the thread is oppisites for each bottle. The oxygen bottles and the other hardware are all fitted with right hand thread and the acetylene gear is all left hand thread for safety purposes. The max fill pressure for a oxygen bottle is 2500psi and acetylene is alot less at 225psi with a max working pressure of around 15psi.

A few quick videos about welding and safety:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfRQxxxLJuo

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAtHomeWelder#p/u/24/FG3io6OCUr8

If you are putting the pressure regulating valve and gauges onto the gas bottle never put oil or grease on or around any threads as this could cause spontaneous combustion. When you have finished welding for a period of time, at all times your line pressure should show 0psi and the pressure regulating valve should be closed incase the bottle is leaking. This will prevent gas or oxygen leaking through the lines and into your work place.

The torch is where the gases are mixed together to form the working gas. As for the rest of the equipment this is no differant with the colour coded valve controls. Always check the torch is all together properly before you try light it up as this could cause injury to yourself. When igniting the torch always face away from you and prefrably towards an extraction unit. When it comes to the tip there is many differant shapes and sizes for diffaerant heats so be sure you have the correct one for the job your wanting to do. Always check the tip is clean and clear of any metal in or on the end of the tip as this will affect your flame and could catch you out. Flashback arrestors are there to prevent and flame burning back up into the equipment causing damage or explosions. If in the case of a flashback happening you just need to pull the cap which resets it and you can weld again.

 

Flashback arrestors are there to prevent and flame burning back up into the equipment causing damage or explosions. If in the case of a flashback happening you just need to pull the cap which resets it and you can weld again.

referances:

www.google.com/images