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Welding with Arc-Welding
Equipment
Self-Inspection Checklist

Guidelines: This checklist covers regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the general industry standards 29 CFR 1910.254 and 1910.306, and the construction standards 1926.351 and 1926.353. It applies to the use of arc-welding and cutting equipment. This checklist must be used with theWelding, Cutting, and Brazing--General Requirementschecklist. The regulations cited apply only to private employers and their employees, unless adopted by a State agency and applied to other groups such as public employees. A yes answer to a question indicates that this portion of the inspection complies with the OSHA or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard, or with a nonregulatory recommendation.

check mark symbol Questions marked with this symbol may require the help of an outside expert.
 

    Please Circle
  General
 
  1. Are employees and students properly instructed

    2. and qualified to operate arc-welding equipment?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(a)(3) and 1926.351(d)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  Application of Arc-Welding Equipment
 
  1. Does arc-welding equipment comply with the

    2. Requirements for Electric Arc-Welding Apparatus
    (NEMA EW-1-1962, National Electric Manufacturers
    Association), or the Safety Standard for
    Transformer-Type Arc-Welding Machines
    (ANSI C33-2-1956, Underwriters Laboratories)?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(b)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are arc-welding machines designed and constructed

    2. to operate under their anticipated environmental
    conditions including unusual altitude, temperature,
    corrosive chemicals, steam, humidity, oil vapors,
    flammable liquids, vibration/shock, dust, or weather?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(b)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are alternating-current manual arc-welding and

    2. cutting machines limited to 80 volts?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(b)(3)(i)(A)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are alternating-current automatic arc-welding

    2. and cutting machines limited to 100 volts?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(b)(3)(i)(B)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are manual or automatic direct-current (DC)

    2. arc-welding and cutting machines limited to
    100 volts?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(b)(3)(ii)(A)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are terminals for welding leads protected

    2. from contact?

    [29 CFR 1910.254(b)(4)(iv)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. When manual electrode holders are used, are

    2. they designed specifically for arc welding and
    cutting?
    [29 CFR 1926.351(a)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are manual electrode holders of a capacity

    2. capable of safely handling the maximum
    rated current required by the electrodes?
    [29 CFR 1926.351(a)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are the outer surfaces of the jaws of the holder

    2. and all current-carrying parts passing through
    the portion of the holder that the arc welder
    or cutter grips fully insulated against the
    maximum voltage to ground?
    [29 CFR 1926.351(a)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are arc-welding and cutting cables completely

    2. insulated, flexible, and capable of handling the
    maximum current requirement of the work
    in progress?
    [29 CFR 1926.351(b)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  Installation of Arc-Welding Equipment
 
  1. Are arc-welding machine frames or cases

    2. electrically grounded?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(c)(2)(i)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Does the circuit between the ground and the

    2. grounded power conductor have resistance
    low enough to permit sufficient current to flow
    to cause the fuse or circuit breaker to
    interrupt the current?
    [29 CFR 1926.351(c)(5)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Do ground return cables have a safe

    2. current-carrying capacity equal to or greater
    than the maximum output capacity of the
    arc-welding or cutting unit that it services?
    [29 CFR 1926.351(c)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are chains, wire ropes, cranes, hoists, elevators,

    2. and conduits containing electrical conductors
    prohibited from being used to complete
    work-lead circuits?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(c)(2)(ii) and (iii) and 1926.351(c)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. If pipelines are temporarily used to complete

    2. work-lead circuits, are they free from threaded
    joints, flange-bolted joints, or caulked joints?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(c)(2)(ii)]

    Note: Special precautions must also be used
    to avoid sparking at connection of the
    work-lead current.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. If a structure or pipeline is used as a ground-return

    2. circuit, are periodic inspections performed to
    determine that the required electrical contact
    exists at all joints?
    [29 CFR 1926.351(c)(3)]

    Note: The generation of an arc, sparks, or heat
    at any point shall cause rejection of the
    structures as a ground circuit. If the structure or
    pipelines are used continuously, all joints should
    be bonded and periodic inspections conducted
    to ensure that no condition of electrolysis or fire
    hazard exists because of such use.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are all grounding connections checked to

    2. determine that they are mechanically strong
    and electrically adequate for the required
    current?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(c)(2)(v) and 1926.351(c)(6)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Is a disconnecting switch with overcurrent

    2. protection located at or near each arc-welding
    machine that does not have such a switch?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(c)(3)(i) and
    29 CFR 1910.306(d)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Is a disconnecting switch with overcurrent

    2. protection provided for each outlet intended
    for connection to a portable welding machine?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(c)(3)(i)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. For individual welding machines, is the rated

    2. current-carrying capacity of the supply
    conductors not less than the rated primary
    current of the welding machine?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(c)(3)(ii)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 

check mark symbol
  1. Are all DC arc-welding machines connected

    2. with the same polarity?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(c)(3)(iv)(A)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 

check mark symbol
  1. Are all AC arc-welding machines connected to

    2. the same phase of the supply circuit and with
    the same instantaneous polarity?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(c)(3)(iv)(B)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  Operation and Maintenance
 
  1. Are employees and students assigned to operate

    2. or maintain arc-welding equipment acquainted
    with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.252 and
    1910.254?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are employees and students engaged in

    2. gas-shielded arc-welding acquainted with
    Recommended Safe Practices for Gas-Shielded
    Arc-Welding (A6.1-1966, American Welding
    Society)?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are arc-welding machine hookups checked

    2. before starting operations?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ??
 
  1. Is coiled welding cable spread out before use

    2. to avoid serious overheating and damage
    to insulation?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Is the grounding of the welding machine

    2. frame checked before operations are started?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(3)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are arc-welding machines checked for leaks

    2. of cooling water, shielding gas, or engine
    fuel before operations are started?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(4)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Is proper switching equipment provided for

    2. shutting down the machine?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(5)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are the manufacturer's printed rules and

    2. instructions covering operation of the
    equipment supplied strictly followed?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(6)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. When not in use for any substantial period of

    2. time (such as during lunch hour or overnight)
    are (a) electrodes removed from the holders;
    (b) the holders safely placed so they cannot
    make contact with people, conductive objects,
    fuel or compressed gas tanks; and (c) the
    machines disconnected form the power source?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(7) and 1926.351(d)(1) and (d)(3)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are electrode cables free from splices within

    2. 10 feet from holders?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(8) and 1926.351(b)(1)]

    Note: The general industry standard
    1910.254(d)(9)(iii) and the construction standard
    1926.351(b)(1) permit joining lengths of cable by
    standard insulated connectors specifically
    designed for that purpose. The construction
    standard, however, also permits splices that are
    insulated as well as the original cable.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Is the operator required to report any

    2. equipment defects or safety hazards and to
    discontinue use until safety has been assured?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(9)(i) and 1926.351(d)(4)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are arc-welding machines repaired only by

    2. qualified personnel?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(9)(i)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. If arc-welding machines become wet, are they

    2. thoroughly dried and tested before use?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(9)(ii)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Is dipping hot electrode holders into

    2. water prohibited?
    [29 CFR 1926.351(d)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. Are cables with damaged insulation or exposed

    2. bare conductors replaced?
    [29 CFR 1910.254(d)(9)(iii)]

    Note: The construction standard 1926.351(b)(4)
    permits repair of cables with rubber and
    friction tape or other equivalent means as
    long as the areas are protected by sufficient
    insulation.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
 
  1. When metal-arc welding with inert gas, are

    2. special precautions taken for hazards
    associated with chlorinated solvents?
    [29 CFR 1926.353(d)(1)(i)]

    Note: Inert-gas metal-arc welding produces
    5 to 30 times more ultraviolet radiation then
    shielded metal-arc welding. The ultraviolet
    rays cause the decomposition of chlorinated
    solvents, liberating toxic fumes and gases.
    When in use, chlorinated solvents must be
    kept at least 200 feet away from the exposed
    arc (unless shielded) and surfaces prepared
    with chlorinated solvents must be thoroughly
    dry before welding is permitted. In addition,
    the shading density for filter lenses must be
    increased. All skin must be covered to protect
    against flashes and radiant energy.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 

Comments/Corrective action:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health