In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by the team of industry experts at EHS Hero®, we look at a recent question from a subscriber asking about OSHA’s training requirements for welders. See what the experts had to say.
Q: What are OSHA’s training requirements for welders?
General Industry
OSHA’s training requirements for welders in general industry can be found in 29 CFR 1910.252 to 1910.255.
Cutters, welders, and their supervisors must be suitably trained in the safe operation of their equipment and the safe use of the process or system. Each employee must also be trained in accordance with the Hazard Communication Standard.
Fire watchers must have fire extinguishing equipment readily available and be trained in its use. They must be familiar with the equipment and procedures for sounding an alarm in the event of a fire. They must watch for fires in all exposed areas, try to extinguish them only when obviously within the capacity of the equipment available, or otherwise sound the alarm. A fire watch must be maintained for at least a half hour after completion of welding or cutting operations to detect and extinguish possible smoldering fires.
Workmen in charge of oxygen or fuel-gas supply equipment, including generators, and oxygen or fuel-gas distribution piping systems must be instructed and judged competent by their employers for this important work before being left in charge.
Skilled mechanics must be properly instructed to repair regulators or parts of regulators, including gages.
Workers who operate arc welding equipment must be instructed and qualified to operate and maintain such equipment, and implement the general provisions of the welding, cutting, and brazing rule.
Workmen designated to operate resistance welding equipment must be properly instructed and judged competent to operate such equipment.
If welders are working with chromium, they must be trained in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1026(l).
For more information about OSHA’s training requirements for welders in general industry, see the Welding, Cutting, and Brazing Regulatory Analysis and Safety.BLR.com’s OSHA Training Requirements chart.
Construction
OSHA’s training requirements for welders in construction can be found in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart J.
Thorough operating instructions are required for both gas and arc welding and cutting. Some employers may be required to train special personnel in the fire hazards and firefighting equipment suitable for their operations.
Employers must instruct gas welders and cutters in the safe use of fuel gas as set forth in 29 CFR 1926.350(d).
Employers must instruct employees in the safe means of arc welding and cutting as set forth in 29 CFR 1926.351(d).
Personnel assigned to guard against fire while the actual welding, cutting, or heating operation is being performed must be trained to anticipate fire hazards and how to use the available firefighting equipment. When normal fire prevention precautions are not sufficient, additional persons trained in fire hazards and firefighting equipment must guard against fire.
If welders are working with chromium or cadmium, they must be trained in accordance with 29 CFR 1926.1126(j) or 29 CFR 1926.1127(m), respectively.
For more information about OSHA’s training requirements for welders in construction, see the Welding and Cutting (Construction) Regulatory Analysis.