Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Robotic Arc Welding

Safety

This document contains information proprietary to its author, or one of its affiliates, and is intended solely for the use of the individual or
entity to whom addressed and shall be maintained in confidence and not disclosed to third parties without the written consent of this
documents author. Any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this document is strictly prohibited. January 2014
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

There are seven major safety areas involved with

robotic welding systems that will be covered:
1. electrical injuries

2. blunt force injuries

3. “pinch-points”

4. skin burns

5. operator strain/fatigue

6. eye injuries

7. fume inhalation
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

General
Safety
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

General Robot Safety Information

1. This robot was designed and manufactured with sufficient consideration to safety. However,
be sure to observe the caution items in this manual when using the robot. If these caution
items are not followed, serious accidents can occur, resulting in death or injury.
2. Provide a fixed safety fence to form a boundary to the work envelope and safety devices to
make sure that a person does not carelessly enter into the robot work envelope during
operation.
3. Follow the local law/specifications and your company standards that apply to electrical power,
handling, and the disposal of waste.
4. Be sure to provide 100 ohms or less grounding for the robot. Please consult the manufacturer
if “high-noise equipment”, such as high-frequency generator, is installed around the robot
installation site.
5. To ensure safety, operation of the robot should be performed by a person who thoroughly
understands this manual and has knowledge and skill to control and operate the robot
properly.
6. Be sure to wear proper safety clothing when working operating, inspecting, or maintaining the
robot.
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

General Robot Safety Information

7. While teaching, special attention should be paid to safety. Teaching should be performed by two
operators so that one operator can stand in front of the controller while the other is
teaching, and prepare to press the emergency stop button in case of emergency.

8. Check the following items at the beginning of operation on the day.

a) Function of safety fence and safety plugs
b) Movements of robot and peripheral equipment
c) Function of the emergency stop button.

9. Do not enter into the work envelope during automatic operation.

10. Be sure to turn off the switch of the power distribution box before performing inspection or
maintenance.
11. A person who wears a heart pacer should not get close to the robot or around the welding
system in operation without permission of a doctor. Magnetic field which may be
generated by the robot or welding system in operation affects the operation of the heart
pacer of the person.
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Robotic Workcell with Fixed Barrier & Light Curtain Robotic Workcell with Fixed Barrier & Light Curtain

Programmable Area Laser Scanner

Robotic Workcell Fixed Barrier
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Electrical
Injuries
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Contact with electrically charged equipment

may result in fatal electric shock or heat injury.
1. Never touch any charging part.
2. Installation of the robot and peripherals should be performed by a qualified technician
and in accordance with local related regulations.
3. Be sure to turn off the main robotic system electrical disconnect, and leave it for at least
five minutes before performing installation, maintenance or inspection work. A residual
electrical charge may remain in system capacitors, that may discharge causing an
electrical shock.
4. Only use undamaged electrical conductors that meet amperage & voltage capacity
regulations.
5. Be sure that all electrical connection are sufficient and cables are sufficiently insulated.
6. Do not use the robot with case or cover removed.
7. Perform the inspection and maintenance work periodically. Repairs should be
performed on the damaged items before use.
8. Turn off the input power for all equipment when the robot is not used.
Robotic Arc Welding Safety
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Blunt Force
Injuries
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Observe the following cautions to prevent overturn

of gas cylinder and blowout of gas flow regulator.
Overturn of a gas cylinder may cause accidents that can cause serious injuries.
The gas cylinder should be handled with caution as it is filled with high-pressure gas.
Improper handling of the gas cylinder may cause spout of the high-pressure gas,
which may lead to serious injuries.
1. Handle the gas cylinder in accordance with the regulations and in-house standards.
2. Use the gas flow regulator which is supplied or recommended by our company.
3. Read the instruction manual of the gas flow regulator before using it and observe the
cautions mentioned in the manual.
4. Secure the gas cylinder to the dedicated gas cylinder stand.
5. Do not expose the gas cylinder to high temperature.
6. Do not bring your face close to the discharge port when opening the gas cylinder valve.
7. Be sure to put a protective cap when the gas cylinder is not in use.
8. Do not hang a welding torch on the gas cylinder or touch to gas cylinder with the electrode.
Robotic Arc Welding Safety
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Pinch Point
Injuries
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

CAUTION:
! Pinch Points

Pinch-Points are residual hazards on moving machinery that can potentially injure an
operator if all or part of their body is in the wrong place at the right time. Pinch-Point injuries
include: crushing, shearing, cutting, snatching, clamping, trapping, scraping, perforation, or
puncturing the skin and/or bones.
Examples of Elimination or Minimization of Pinch-Point Injuries:
1. Clearly label all potential Pinch-Points.
2. Use guards or barrier to eliminate Pinch-Point areas on fixtures.
3. Improve reaction times by slowing the clamping movement using pneumatic flow controls.
4. Employ dual palm button energizing of fixture clamping.
5. Color code moving fixture components to help identify potential Pinch-Points.
6. Use robotic system safe guarding to vacate work area before clamping can be energized.
7. Convert dangerous auto-clamping situations to manual clamping.
8. Provide the robotic welding system operators with proper safety training.
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Dual Palm Station - To meet OSHA and ANSI safety requirements,

the two run/inch buttons must be protected against accidental
operation (with ring guards) and they must be separated to require
the use of both hands to operate them.
Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Skin
Burns
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

! WARNING:
Heat & UV Radiation

Skin Burns are caused by excessive heat or ultra-violet radiation. Unfortunately these
are two unavoidable byproducts of the arc welding process. However, a few simple
steps can be taken to minimize skin burns caused by, or promoted by robotic arc
welding:

1. Design fixtures so that loading & unloading can easily be performed by a "gloved"
operator: large clamp handles, open unconfined design, etc.

2. Employ weldment release levers or weldment ejection cylinders to avoid the

prolonged contact with hot completed weldments during the fixture unload process.

3. Avoid the use of highly reflective weldment surfaces that can allow the arc welding
ultra-violet radiation to be directed to the worker-occupied stations.

4. Provide the robotic welding system operators with proper safety training.
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Observe the following caution to prevent fires caused by

deteriorated insulation of the welding power unit.
1. Spatter and heated base metal immediate after welding may be a cause of fire.
2. Incomplete connection of cable and incomplete contact at the current path at the base metal side
such as steel may lead to a fire when such part is heat by power conduction.
3. Generation of arc at a container containing combustible material such as gasoline may cause an
explosion..
4. Welding of closed tank or pipe may cause an explosion.
5. Remove any combustible material around the welding part so that splashed spatters do not hit
the material. If the removal of such material is not possible, cover it with non-combustible gas.
6. Do not perform a welding operation around a combustible gas.
7. Do not bring the heated base metal immediate after welding close to any combustible material.
8. Be sure to remove all combustible materials around the welding part including hidden area before
performing welding of ceiling, floor or wall.
9. Be sure to connect and insulate cables completely.
10. Connection of cables at the base metal side should be done as close to the welding point as
possible.
11. Do not weld closed tank or pipe, or gas pipe with gas inside
12. Be sure to prepare a fire-extinguisher around the welding site in case of fire.
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Safety Glasses with Side Shields

Welding Gloves

Pliers

Welding Hood
Welding Jacket
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Steel-Toed Work Boots Welding Gloves

 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Operator
Strain & Fatigue
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

CAUTION

Operator Strain/Fatigue
HEAVY
OBJECT
USE A JIB
CRANE OR
LIFTING
ASSIST
DEVICE

Operator fatigue and muscle stress & strain are caused by one or both:

a. Repetitive action of loading and unloading weldment fixtures.

b. Over exertion of the operator in loading or unloading weldment fixtures.

To eliminate these potential robotic welding safety concerns:

1. Use lifting devices, such as jib cranes, to assist the operator in loading and unloading
heavy or bulky weldments or components.

2. Balance the loading/unloading cycle to eliminate over exertion by the operator.

3. Use carts or roller conveyors to minimize carrying distances and time.

4. Provide the robotic welding system operators with proper safety training.
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Die Cart Jib Crane

 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Eye
Injuries
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Eye Injuries
WARNING:
UV Radiation

Eye Injuries from robotic arc welding are caused by:

a. Ultra-violet arc welding arc flash due to reflection off parts, barriers, & fixtures

b. Flying weld spatter particles that are blown-off weldment fixtures during cleaning.

To eliminate these potential weldment fixture safety concerns:

1. Make the wearing of proper safety eye-wear mandatory on the shop floor.

2. Avoid the use of highly reflective weldment surfaces that can allow the arc welding
ultra-violet radiation to be directed to the work stations.

3. Provide the robotic welding system operators with proper safety training.
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Safety Glasses with Side Shields

Welding Hood

Face Shield Proper Use of Face Shield

 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Fume
Inhalation
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Provide protective equipment to protect you and

other person from fume or gas generated by ! CAUTION

welding operation.

Fume and gas generated by welding operation may harm human health.
Welding at a small area may cause an oxygen shortage and result in suffocation.

1. To avoid gas poisoning, make sure to provide local ventilation facilities

or respiratory apparatus without fail.
2. In shielded metal arc welding, provide local ventilation facilities or
respiratory apparatus without fail. (Poisonous fume or gas will be
generated by performing welding of shielded metal.)
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Modular Fume Hood Robotic Welding Cell Fume Hood

Robotic Welding Cell Fume Hood Robotic Welding Cell Fume Hood
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Rule of Thumb:

USE COMMON
SENSE!!!
Think Safety
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Robotic Arc Welding

Safety
Quiz
 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Match the Injury with the Cause:

Injury Cause

____ 1. Blunt force trauma A. Weld spatter

____ 2. Ultraviolet radiation burns B. Move parts in Fixturing or Tooling

____ 3. Skin burns caused by contact with a hot object C. Robot arm motion

____ 4. Pinched body parts D. The metal welding process

____ 5. Dangerous-fume inhalation E. The pace set by the robot

____ 6. Eye injury caused by particulate F. Welded parts

____ 7. Operator fatigue G. The welding arc

 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Match the Injury with the Remedy:

Injury Remedy

____ 1. Blunt force trauma A. Jig cranes and lifting assist devices

____ 2. Ultraviolet radiation burns B. Safety glasses

____ 3. Skin burns caused by contact with a hot object C. Welding fume hood

____ 4. Pinched body parts D. Dual palm buttons

____ 5. Dangerous-fume inhalation E. Pair of pliers & welding gloves

____ 6. Eye injury caused by particulate F. Welding jacket & gloves

____ 7. Operator fatigue G. Fixed barriers & light curtains

 Robotic Arc Welding Safety

Robotic Arc Welding

Safety
End
This document contains information proprietary to its author, or one of its affiliates, and is intended solely for the use of the individual or
entity to whom addressed and shall be maintained in confidence and not disclosed to third parties without the written consent of this
documents author. Any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this document is strictly prohibited. January 2014