Potential hazards
There are a number of potential hazards that can occur during arc welding.
It is therefore particularly important for the welder to comply with the
following rules to avoid endangering himself or others and prevent injuries
or damage to the appliance.
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Do not use this flux-core welder on a surface that is inclined by more
than 10°.
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Work on the voltage side, e.g. on cables, plugs, sockets, etc., may only
be carried out by qualified specialists. This applies especially to the
fitting of intermediary cables.
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In the event of an accident, disconnect immediately from the welding
power source.
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If electrical contact voltages occur, switch off the appliance immediately
and have it checked by a qualified specialist.
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Always ensure good electrical contacts on the welding current side.
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Always wear insulating gloves on both hands during welding work.
These protect the user from electric shock (no-load voltage of the welding
current circuit), harmful radiation (heat and UV radiation) as well as
from incandescent metal and splashes of slag.
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Wear sturdy insulating shoes (should also be waterproof). Loafers are
not suitable as falling incandescent metal droplets can cause burns.
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Wear suitable clothing, no synthetic fibres.
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Do not look into the electric arc without eye protection; always use the
welding mask with the prescribed protective glass as per DIN. In addition
to the light and heat radiation, which can dazzle and/or cause burns,
the electric arc also emits UV radiation. If not properly protected, this
invisible ultraviolet radiation can cause a very painful conjunctivitis that
is not apparent until several hours later. In addition, this UV radiation
can cause sunburn-like effects on unprotected parts of the body.
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Any persons in the vicinity of the electric arc or helpers must be appraised
of the dangers and be equipped with the necessary protective equip-
ment. If necessary, put up protective walls.
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No welding work may be carried out on containers that have been
used for storing gases, fuels, mineral oils or similar – even if they have
been empty for a long time – as possible residues may present a risk of
explosion.
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Special regulations apply in rooms where there is a risk of fire or
explosion.
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Welded joints that are subject to heavy stress loads and are required
to comply with safety requirements may only be carried out by trained
and qualified welders. Examples of this are: pressure vessels, running
rails, tow bars, etc.
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Risk of injury due to electric shock
When there is no electric arc, there is a nominal no-load voltage of U
tween the earth clamp and the flow nozzle. This voltage can be potentially
fatal if the welder touches the flow nozzle, torch nozzle, welding wire or
the workpiece with his/her bare hands.
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It is important to bear in mind that the protective conductor in electrical
systems or appliances can be damaged by negligence by the welding
current:
e.g. the earth clamp is placed on the welder housing which is connect-
ed to the protective conductor of the electrical system. The welding
work is carried out on a machine with a protective conductor connec-
tion. It is also possible to weld the machine without attaching the earth
clamp to it. In this case, the welding current flows from the earth clamp
via the protective conductor to the machine. The high welding current
can cause the protective conductor to melt.
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The supply to the mains socket must be secured as per regulations
(VDE 0100). In accordance with these regulations, only fuses or circuit
breakers with a corresponding wire cross section may be used (16 amp
circuit breaker). A too high fuse amperage can cause cable fires or
building fire damage.
Confined spaces and hot rooms
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When working in confined spaces or hot rooms, use insulated underlays,
filler layers and gauntlets made of leather or a different non-conduc-
tive material to insulate your body against the floor, walls, conductive
appliance parts and similar.
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When using welding transformers to weld in environments with in-
creased electrical risks, e.g. in confined rooms with electrically conduc-
tive walls (boilers, pipes, etc.), in hot rooms (sweating through the work
clothes), the output voltage of the flux-core welder in no-load operation
may not be higher than 48 V~ (effective value). Due to its output volt-
age in no-load operation, the appliance may be used in this case.
Accident risks due to poor air supply in confined
spaces
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Considerable quantities of smoke and gases are produced during
welding. Ensure that there is a suitable opening for the extraction of
smoke and gases. Never feed oxygen into the room. This increases the
risk of fire.
Protective clothing
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While working, the welder must protect all body parts from radiation
and against burns by means of clothing and the welding mask.
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Wear gauntlets made of a suitable material (leather) on both hands.
They must be in perfect condition.
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To protect your clothes from flying sparks and burns, wear a suitable
apron. If the type of work requires it, e.g. overhead welding, wear a
protective suit and, if necessary, also the corresponding headgear.
▯
The clothing worn and all accessories must comply with the guideline
"Personal protective equipment" (89/686/EEC).
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PFDS 33 A1