Personal Protection Safety Standards
Personal Protection Standards frequently come into play when welding due to the inherent dangers associated with welding. While welding equipment can be made safer, certain dangers require further protection with the use of personal protection equipment such as eye and face protection. Some of these protections add on to standards used in industries with lower safety requirements, while others are developed specifically for welding when the dangers involved are unique to welding.
ASTM F1506-19
Standard Performance Specification for Flame Resistant and Electric Arc Rated Protective Clothing Worn by Workers Exposed to Flames and Electric Arcs
1.1 This performance specification identifies minimum performance requirements to determine the (a) arc rating of fabrics, (b) flame resistance of fabrics and subassemblies, (c) mechanical durability of the fabrics and subassemblies, (d) the minimum garment construction and performance requirements, and (e) the garment labeling requirements for the completed protective clothing worn by workers exposed to flames and electric arcs. 1.1.1 The minimum requirements for garment labeling are intended to provide end users with adequate information to select garments with the appropriate arc rating. 1.1.2 End users are required to perform an assessment to determine the level of hazard and the required arc rating of the protective clothing for their individual hazards. 1.1.2.1 The end user risk assessments are outside the scope of this standard. 1.2 This performance specification does not address coated or laminated protective clothing commonly used for rainwear applications in an arc hazard environment. Performance requirements related to this category of protective clothing are detailed in Specification F1891 . 1.3 This performance specification does not address hand protection. Performance and test requirements related to hand protection are detailed in OSHA 1910.138, Specification D120 , and Test Method F2675/F2675M . 1.4 The care and maintenance requirements for laundering electric arc flash protective clothing are outside the scope of this standard. Refer to Guides F1449 or F2757 related to industrial or home laundering. 1.5 This standard should be used to evaluate and describe the properties of materials, products, or assemblies in response to heat and flame under controlled laboratory conditions. It should not be used to describe or appraise the fire hazard or fire risk of materials, products, or assemblies under actual fire conditions. 1.5.1 The results of this evaluation may be used as elements of a fire-risk assessment that takes into account all of the factors that are pertinent to an assessment of the fire hazard of a particular end use. 1.6 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only. 1.7 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the test methods portion, Section 7 , of this performance specification: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 1.8 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
CSA W117.2-2019
Safety in welding, cutting, and allied processes
Preface This is the seventh edition of W117.2, Safety in welding, cutting, and allied processes. It supersedes the previous editions published in 2012, 2006, 2001, 1994, 1987, and 1974. Its subject is the health and safety of welders and welding operators. This Standard has been developed through a consensus process that ensures that the requirements will be accepted and followed throughout the welding industry. The goal is to encourage fresh thinking and attitudes. Everyone involved in the industry must become aware of the importance of welding safety and the need to make continual improvements in the welding environment over time. This edition of W117.2 has been revised to reflect changes that have occurred in the Canadian welding industry in response to the most recent review of injuries and fatalities within the industry. These changes are presented with the expectation that they will be implemented and with the hope of preventing further injuries and fatalities. This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group. Scope 1.1 Objective 1.1.1 This Standard provides minimum requirements and recommendations to protect persons who work in an environment affected by welding, cutting, and allied processes from illness and injury and to prevent damage to property arising from the installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment used in these processes. 1.1.2 This Standard specifies the elements of a welding health and safety program (see Clause 4) that are necessary to implement the requirements and recommendations specified in this Standard. 1.2 Applicability 1.2.1 This Standard applies to all personnel working in an environment affected by welding, cutting, and allied processes. 1.2.2 The requirements of this Standard apply to the processes illustrated in the Master chart of welding and allied processes (see Figures A.1 and A.2). Note: One should consult the authority having jurisdiction, together with this Standard, to ensure compliance to mandatory legislative requirements. 1.3 Exclusions This Standard does not apply to a) the design or manufacture of welding or safety equipment; and b) storage, use, and handling of natural gas and propane in accordance with CSA B149.1 and CSA B149.2. 1.4 Terminology In this Standard, "shall" is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; "should" is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and "may" is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the standard. Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (nonmandatory) to define their application. 1.5 Units of measurement The values given in SI units are the units of record for the purposes of this Standard. The values given in parentheses are for information and comparison only.
ISO 20349-1:2017
Personal protective equipment - Footwear protecting against risks in foundries and welding - Part 1: Requirements and test methods for protection against risks in foundries
ISO 20349-1:2017 specifies requirements and test methods for footwear protecting users against risks, such as those encountered in foundries. Footwear complying with this document also offers other protection as defined in ISO 20345. NOTE Gaiters over boot and clothing intended to provide protection to the feet and legs against molten metal are addressed by ISO 11612.
ISO 20349-2:2017
Personal protective equipment - Footwear protecting against risks in foundries and welding - Part 2: Requirements and test methods for protection against risks in welding and allied processes
ISO 20349-2:2017 specifies requirements and test methods for footwear protecting users against risks, such as those encountered in welding and allied process. Footwear complying with this document also offers other protection as defined in ISO 20345.
BS EN 166:2002
Personal eye protection. Specifications (British Standard)
This European standard specifies functional requirements for various types of personal eye-protectors. The transmittance requirements for various types of filter oculars are given in separate standards (see clause 3).
BS EN 169:2002
Personal eye-protection. Filters for welding and related techniques. Transmittance requirements and recommended use (British Standard)
This European standard specifies the scale numbers and transmittance requirements for filters intended to protect operators performing work involving welding, braze-welding, arc gouging and plasma jet cutting. The other applicable requirements for these types of filters are given in EN 166:1995. Guidance on the selection and use of these filters are given in Annex A. The specifications for welding filters with switchable luminous transmittance and welding filters with dual luminous transmittance are given in EN 379:1994.
BS EN 175:1997
Personal protection. Equipment for eye and face protection during welding and allied processes (British Standard)
This European Standard specifies safety requirements and test methods for personal protective equipment used to protect the operator's eyes and face against harmful optical radiation and other specific risks or hazards in usual welding, cutting or similar operations. This standard specifies protection including ergonomic aspects against risks or hazards of radiative, flammable, mechanical and electrical nature. The equipment is designed to incorporate protective filters, with or without cover/backing oculars as recommended by the welding protector manufacturer, in accordance with EN 166:1995 and complying with EN 169:1992 or EN 379:1994. Hoods, inspector face screens, laser protective equipment and welding protection for special applications, are not covered in this standard. This standard defines the terms used and specifies requirements for materials, design and manufacture.
BS EN 379:2003+A1:2009
Personal eye-protection. Automatic welding filters (British Standard)
This European standard specifies requirements for automatic welding filters which switch their luminous transmittance to a lower predetermined value when a welding arc is ignited (referred to as welding filters with switchable scale numbers). It also specifies requirements for automatic welding filters which switch their luminous transmittance to a lower value, where the lower value of luminous transmittance is set automatically in dependence on the illuminance generated by the welding arc (referred to as welding filters with automatic scale number setting). The requirements of this standard apply if such a filter is to be used for continuous viewing of the welding process, (including gas welding and cutting), and if it is to be used only during the period when the arc is being ignited. These filters are used in welders' eye protectors or are fixed to equipment. If they are to be used in welders' eye protectors, other applicable requirements for these types of filters are given in EN 166. The requirements for the frames/mountings to which they are intended to be fitted are given in EN 175. Guidance on the selection and use of these filters is given in annex A. The specifications for welding filters without switchable luminous transmittance are given in EN 169.
ISO 25980:2014
Health and safety in welding and allied processes - Transparent welding curtains, strips and screens for arc welding processes
ISO 25980:2014 specifies safety requirements for transparent welding curtains, strips, and screens to be used for shielding of work places from their surroundings where arc welding processes are used. They are designed to protect people who are not involved in the welding process from hazardous radiant emissions from welding arcs and spatter. Welding curtains, strips, and screens it specifies are not intended to replace welding filters. For intentional viewing of welding arcs other means of protection are used. It is not applicable for welding processes where laser radiation is used. NOTE Darker welding curtains or screens are advisable for mutual separation of adjacent work places for reasons of comfort.
