Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes

ANSI Z49.1:1999
4.2.2.10 Maintenance. Helmets, handshields, and
goggles shall be well maintained, and should not be transferred
from one employee to another without being
cleaned.
4.3 Protective Clothing. Clothing shall be selected to
minimize the potential for ignition, burning, trapping hot
sparks, or electric shock.
E4.3 Heavier materials such as woolen clothing or heavy
cotton are preferable to lighter materials because they are
more difficult to ignite. Cotton clothing, if used for protection,
should be chemically treated to reduce its combustibility.
Clothing treated with flame resistant materials
may lose some of its protective characteristics after repeated
washing or cleaning. Materials which can melt and
cause severe burns should not be used as clothing when
welding or cutting.
Sparks may lodge in rolled-up sleeves, pockets of clothing,
or cuffs of overalls or trousers. It is therefore recommended
that sleeves and collars be kept buttoned and pockets
be eliminated from the front of clothing. When pockets
are present, they should be emptied of flammable or
readily combustible materials. Trousers or overalls should
not have cuffs and should not be turned up on the outside.
Trousers should overlap shoe tops to prevent spatter from
getting into shoes.
Frayed clothing is particularly susceptible to ignition
and burning and should not be worn when welding or cutting.
Refer to 11.3 and 11.4.
4.3.1 Selection. Clothing shall provide sufficient coverage,
and be made of suitable materials, to minimize skin
burns caused by sparks, spatter, or radiation.
4.3.2 Gloves. All welders and cutters shall wear protective
flame-resistant gloves. All gloves shall be in good
repair, dry, and capable of providing protection from electric
shock by the welding equipment.
4.3.3 Aprons. Durable flame-resistant aprons shall be
used to protect the front of the body when additional protection
against sparks and radiant energy is needed.
4.3.4 Leggings. For heavy work, flame-resistant leggings
or other equivalent means shall be used to give added
protection to the legs, when necessary.
4.3.5 Capes and Sleeves. Cape sleeves or shoulder
covers with bibs made of leather or other flame-resistant
material shall be worn during overhead welding, cutting,
or other operations, when necessary.
4.3.6 Other Protective Clothing. Properly fitted
flame-resistant plugs in the ear canals, or equivalent protection,
shall be used where hazards to the ear canals exist.
E4.2.2.10 For methods of cleaning, refer to the
manufacturers instructions.
E4.3.1 Appropriate protective clothing for any welding
and cutting operation will vary with the size, nature,
and location of the work to be performed. Clothing should
be kept clean, as oil and grease can reduce its protective
qualities.
E4.3.2 Gloves made of leather, rubber, or other suitable
materials are recommended. Insulating linings should
be used to protect areas exposed to high radiant energy
(see E11.2.2).
E4.3.3 Aprons made of leather or other suitable materials
are recommended. Insulated linings should be used
to protect areas exposed to high radiant energy (see
E11.2.2).
E4.3.4 In production work, a sheet metal screen in front
of the workers legs can provide further protection against
sparks and molten metal in cutting operations.
E4.3.6 Dry, hole-free clothing will usually be sufficient
to adequately insulate the welder from electric shock (see
11.3 and 11.4).
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