Book traversal links for Welding and Cutting Personal Protective Equipment ‹ Hot Work Procedures Up Handling and Use of Gas Cylinders and Welding Equipment › Eye, face, hand/arm, head and body protection (leather gloves, leather apron, gauntlets, safety glasses with side shields, welders helmet or welders goggles) are required that are appropriate to the potential hazards encountered during welding, cutting, brazing, soldering, grinding or other spark producing operations. The intense light associated with welding operations can cause serious and sometimes permanent eye damage if operators do not wear proper eye protection. The intensity of light or radiant energy produced by welding, cutting or brazing operations varies according to a number of factors including the task producing the light, the electrode size and the arc current. The following table shows the minimum protective shades for a variety of welding, cutting and brazing operations for construction activities: Welding Operation Shade Number Shielded metal-arc welding 1/16-, 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32- inch diameter electrodes 10 Gas-shielded arc welding (nonferrous) 1/16-, 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32- inch diameter electrodes 11 Gas-shielded arc welding (ferrous) 1/16-, 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32-inch diameter electrodes 12 Shielded metal-arc welding 3/16-, 7/32-, 1/4- inch diameter electrodes 12 5/16-, 3/8-inch diameter electrodes 14 Atomic hydrogen welding 10-14 Carbon-arc welding 14 Soldering 2 Torch brazing 3 or 4 Light cutting, up to 1 inch 3 or 4 Medium cutting, 1 to 6 inches 4 or 5 Heavy cutting, more than 6 inches 5 or 6 Gas welding (light), up to 1/8 inch 4 or 5 Gas welding (medium), 1/8- to 1/2-inch 5 or 6 Gas welding (heavy), more than 1/2-inch 6 or 8 Book traversal links for Welding and Cutting Personal Protective Equipment ‹ Hot Work Procedures Up Handling and Use of Gas Cylinders and Welding Equipment › Resources OSHA Cutting and Welding Standards Staff James McQuaid Program Manager 609-258-5106 Kelly States Assistant Director 609-258-2648
