WELDING – SHORT HEALTH AND SAFETY ASSESSMENT TOOL

This audit tool helps you to identify the welding and
cutting hazards in your workplace. Once the hazards have
been identified you can use the Department of Labour
publication Health and Safety in Welding to implement
recommended control measures. The Department
recommends welders read the publication through before
using this tool.
Page references in the section headings also refer to
Health and Safety in Welding. This publication and a
comprehensive assessment tool for welding can be
downloaded from
www.osh.dol.govt.nz/order/catalogue/welding.shtml.
For more detail refer to tn7 at www.wtia.com.au.

summary (pages 6-8) General health and safety (pages 6, 7 and 12)

1. Which of these hazards are present and require 4. Mark any key words and phrases that indicate the
attention presence of a hazard and write control measures.
Fire/explosion Burns Key words and phrases:
Fumes Electric shock • Housekeeping • Air circulation
Compressed gases Hazardous substances • General arc flash • Labelling of hazardous
Toxic gases Heat stress protection materials

Radiation Noise • Availability of safety • First aid equipment and

data sheets (SDS) training
Dust Inert gases
(metal preparation) (suffocation) • Warning signage • Lighting

Vibration Manual handling issues Hazards and control measures

TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION (pages 9 and 10)

2. Are welders certified for the job Yes No

they are doing and in the basic
elements of welding health and
safety?

process/equipment selection (page 11) Fire prevention and hotwork (pages 13-15)

5. From the key words and phrases, note any hazards

3. Describe the sort of welding/cutting being done
that may lead to a fire or explosion, and note any
Key words and phrases:
control measures.
• Welding method • Electrode type Key words and phrases:
• Metals involved • Coating on metals • Combustibles, • Combustible floors,
• Gases being used • Duration and location explosives or ceilings or walls?
of welding flammables present?
• Combustibles on the • Wetting, shielding
other side of metal or covering
walls? combustibles?
• Fire watchers and • Ventilation ducts and
inspections conveyors

DOL 10286
 • Sprinkler systems
• Work on drums,
barrels and tanks
• Oil and grease free
• Fire extinguishers Ventilation (pages 21-23 and 45)
• Work in confined
8. Describe where the welding is being carried out and
spaces
the ventilation that exists there. Write any controls
required.

Hazards and control measures Key words and phrases:

• Number of people • Size and roof height
exposed, including of the workshop, if
bystanders indoors
• Ventilation slot on a • Discharge of
welding bench contaminated air

• Relocatable hood • Gun-mounted

ventilation
Protective Clothing/Equipment
(pages 16 and 17) Description

6. Which personal protective equipment should be

supplied for this welding operation?
Welding helmet Eye protection

Apron Spats/leggings
Controls
Cap Neck protection

Steel-capped boots Hearing protection

Fire-resistant overalls Fire-resistant gauntlet
with long sleeves gloves

Respiratory protection
electrical safety (pages 24 and 25)
Fume and gas control (pages 18-20 and 45)
9. From the key words and phrases, note any hazards
7. It is assumed that protection will be needed against arising from poor selection of welding equipment
general fumes from the welding process. Which and suggest controls for these hazards.
other specific fume/gas hazards are present?
Key words and phrases:
Toxic metal fumes Inert gases • Lowest no load • Earthing clamps and
voltage and automatic cables plus grounding
Phosgene Ozone
control checks
Phosphine Nitrogen oxides
• Power board safety • RCD devices
Carbon monoxide Fluxing agents
• Cable connections • Shortest possible
Highly toxic metals Effects made worse by (if needed) leads
(beryllium, cadmium) confined spaces
• Rod holders

Control measures
Hazards and control measures
10. From the key words and phrases, note any hazards • Separate storage for • Heat/electrical
arising from the unsafe use of welding equipment fuel and oxygen separation
and suggest controls.
• Acetylene cylinders • Regular examination
Key words and phrases: upright for rust, leaks and
defects
• Positioning of welding • Operation of
• Empties marked • Secured against falls
controls (no knots equipment within
etc.) rated duty cycle Integrity of equipment connected
• Power shut-off • Disconnect after use • Regular inspection • Free of oil and grease
• Water • Electrical sparks
• Colour coding correct • Flashback arrestors
• Removal of electrodes • Drying of hands
Correct usage of gas equipment
from rod holders
• Correct assembly • Leak testing
Hazards and control measures procedures procedures

• Correct lighting • Flashback signs

procedures known and how to
respond
General

• Avoid using LPG in • Close valves before

trenches/holes disassembly

• Avoid sources of • Don’t dust off clothing

ignition with oxygen

Hazards and control measures

11. From the key words and phrases, note any hazards
arising from the unsafe inspection and repair of
welding equipment and suggest controls.

Key words and phrases:

• Inspection of: leads, cables, switches, cover
plates and rod holders.

Hazards and control measures

hazardous substances (pages 28-31)

13. List any hazardous substances not already covered

in this checklist and state control measures for
each.

Safe Use of welding gases (pages 26-27)

12. From the key words and phrases, note the presence
of any gas-related hazards and suggest controls.

Key words and phrases:

Maintenance of gas bottles

• Labelling • Stored in a ventilated
area
metal preparation (page 32) Radiation (page 37)

14. From the key words and phrase, note any hazards 16. From the key words and phrases, note any hazards
present and suggest controls. arising from exposure (actual or potential) to
radiation and suggest controls for these hazards.
Key words and phrases:
Key words and phrases:
• Abrasive blasting • Degreasing
• Arc flash through the • Hand shields
• Mechanical • Acids or alkalis
side of the eye ineffective
preparation
• Bystanders • All skin covered
Hazardous substances and control measures
Hazardous substances and control measures

welding in confined spaces (pages 33-35) general safety issues (pages 38-40)

15. From the key words and phrases, note any hazards
arising from work in confined spaces and suggest
controls for these hazards.
Key words and phrases:
• Observer with access
to cut-off switch
• Safe access and pre-
planned emergency
rescue
• Training
• Time limitations
Hazards and control measures
17. Do welders keep their heads out
• Removal of gas hoses
when idle
• Ventilation
• Atmospheric testing
• Reflected arc flash
• Permit to work
• Heat stress
Yes No
of the welding plume?
Noise: Noise levels can be hazardous during some
welding and metal cleaning processes. If you can’t
hear someone speaking at a distance of one metre,
noise levels are likely to be too high. Refer to the
Department of Labour publication Approved Code of
Practice for the Management of Noise.
Vibration: Prolonged use of powered hand tools
may expose welders to harmful levels of vibration,
resulting in decreased blood circulation in the
fingers. The effect of vibration is made worse when
working in the cold. Vibration can be reduced
by good tool selection and design, regular tool
maintenance and by the wearing of gloves.

Describe any action required to deal with issues of

noise or vibration.
 Manual handling: Welders may be required Specific Requirements of the Health
to handle heavy objects, carry out welding in and Safety in Employment Act 1992
awkward postures for long periods, make repetitive (pages 42-44)
movements or work in awkward positions. Refer
to the Department of Labour’s Code of Practice for 19. Information, training and supervision
Manual Handling for information on dealing with The following requirements apply to all workplace
these issues. hazards
Describe any action required to deal with manual Have employees been given Yes No
handling issues. information about the (welding)
hazards they face?
Have employees been given training Yes No
on how to do the (welding) work
the right way and on controlling the
hazards?

Are employees supervised until Yes No

they can carry out the work safely?

20. Monitoring

hand tool fitness and safety (page 41) If an employer decides that an employee faces
a significant hazard and if that hazard cannot be
18. From the key words and phrases, note any hazards
eliminated or isolated, then the exposure to the
arising from the use of hand tools and suggest
hazard must be monitored and, with informed
controls for these hazards.
consent, the employee’s health in relation to that
Key words and phrases: hazard must also be monitored.
• RCD on electrically- • Chipping hazards Is environmental monitoring Yes No
powered tools arising during carried out?
deslagging
Is personal health monitoring Yes No
• Wet/sweaty hands and • Vibration due to poor carried out?
electrical safety maintenance
• Air-powered tools • Ergonomics: hand 21. Employee involvement
blowing cold air over shape, diameter and Are employees involved in health Yes No
hands weight and safety matters?
• Trigger design and • Repair of insulation
the risk of overuse 22. General comments
disorders
Hazards and control measures
Health and safety action plan
Factor Practicable steps Likely Plan for actioning the steps Who will Deadline
impact action?

H / /

Training/certification M / /

L / /

H / /
Process/equipment M / /
selection
L / /

H / /

General health and safety M / /

L / /

H / /
Fire prevention and hot M / /
work
L / /

H / /
Protective clothing/ M / /
equipment
L / /

H / /

Fume and gas control M / /

L / /

H / /

Ventilation M / /

L / /
Factor Practicable steps Likely Plan for actioning the steps Who will Deadline
impact action?

H / /

Electrical safety M / /

L / /

H / /

Safe use of welding gases M / /

L / /

H / /

Hazardous substances M / /

L / /

H / /

Metal preparation M / /

L / /

H / /

Confined spaces M / /

L / /

H / /

Radiation M / /

L / /

H / /
General safety (noise,
vibration, manual M / /
handling)
L / /
Factor Practicable steps Likely Plan for actioning the steps Who will Deadline
impact action?

H / /

Hand tools M / /

L / /

H / /
Requirements of the
Health and Safety in M / /
Employment Act 1992
L / /

H / /

M / /

L / /

H / /

M / /

L / /

H / /

M / /

L / /

H / /

M / /

L / /

H / /

M / /

L / /