On May 19, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) announced a combined $1,753,375 in fines for the Valero Refinery of Benicia and 3 of its contractors following an investigation into the confined space death of a 35-year-old worker. On November 12, 2021, a worker lost consciousness after descending into a regenerator overflow […]
There are many different hazards that welders face in a number of different industries. OSHA has clear guidelines for safety during welding, cutting, and brazing to help protect workers who face potential fires, explosions, accidental contact, contamination, and breathing hazards. Here’s what you need to know about welding and cutting safety. Check out our Back to […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine OSHA’s requirements for welding and cutting safety. There are many different hazards that welders face in a number of different industries. OSHA has clear guidelines for safety during welding, cutting, and […]
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 whether an N95 or N99 mask protects the user from fumes when cutting stainless steel. See what the experts had to say. Q: Does an […]
If you employ welders, they may be at risk for lung cancer, regardless of the metals they weld. However, researchers have yet to compile all the information employers need on exposure limits and hazard controls.
Welding — one of the OSHA-defined “hot work” activities — is a major task in many industries. You’ll find it performed in manufacturing, fabrication, and repair work. In fact, anywhere two or more materials must be joined together, welding will likely be present.
A 48-year-old shipyard welder was welding on a barge that was undergoing renovation, working from an elevating work platform. A pinhole leak developed in the hydraulic lines on the lift, and the escaping hydraulic oil was ignited by sparks from the welding operation. The worker was taken to a burn unit, but later died.
Whether you’re a large, heavy equipment manufacturer with a stable of experienced welders or a small job shop where welding equipment is used infrequently, odds are you use the same type of equipment: a metal inert gas (MIG) welder.