MK Products Copperhead Weldhead - Manual (Page 5)

CopperHead ® Owner’s Manual - Page i
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
ELECTRIC ARC WELDING EQUIPMENT
CAUTION : READ BEFORE ATTEMPTING INSTALLATION, OPERATION
OR MAINTENANCE OF THIS EQUIPMENT
1-1 INTRODUCTION
This equipment is intended for ultimate
application by commercial/industrial
users and for operation by persons
trained and experienced in the use and
maintenance of welding equipment.
Operation should not be undertaken
without adequate training in the use of
such equipment. Training is available
from many public and private schools or
similar facilities.
Safe practices in the installation, opera-
tion and maintenance of this equipment
requires proper training in the art, a care-
ful study of the information provided with
the equipment, and the use of common
sense. Rules for safe use are generally
provided by suppliers of welding power
sources, compressed gas suppliers, and
electrode suppliers. Careful compliance
with these rules will promote safe use of
this equipment.
The following Safety Rules cover some
of the more generally found situations.
READ THEM CAREFULLY. In case of
any doubt, obtain qualified help before
proceeding.
1-2 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS
A. Burn Prevention
ELECTRIC ARC WELDING PRO-
DUCES HIGH INTENSITY HEAT AND
ULTRAVIOLET RADIANT ENERGY
WHICH MAY CAUSE SERIOUS AND
PERMANENT EYE DAMAGE AND
WHICH MAY DAMAGE ANY EXPOSED
SKIN AREAS.
Wear helmet with safety goggles or
glasses with side shields underneath,
appropriate filter lenses or plates (pro-
tected by clear cover glass). This is a
must for welding or cutting (and chipping)
to protect the eyes from radiant energy
and flying metal. Replace cover glass
when broken, pitted, or spattered.
Medical first aid and eye treatment.
First aid facilities and a qualified first
aid person should be available for each
shift unless medical facilities are close by
for immediate treatment of flash burns of
the eyes and skin burns.
Wear protective clothing - leather (or
asbestos) gauntlet gloves, hat, and high
safety-toe shoes. Button shirt collar and
pocket flaps, and wear cuffless trousers
to avoid entry of sparks and slag.
Avoid oily or greasy clothing. A spark
may ignite them.
Flammable hair preparations should
not be used by persons intending to
weld or cut.
Hot metal such as electrode stubs and
work pieces should never be handled
without gloves.
Ear plugs should be worn when working
on overhead or in a confined space. A
hard hat should be worn when others
work overhead.
B. Toxic Fume Prevention
WARNING: The use of this product may
result in exposure to chemicals known to
the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Adequate ventilation. Severe discomfort,
illness or death can result from fumes,
vapors, heat, or oxygen enrichment or
depletion that welding (or cutting) may pro-
duce. Prevent them with adequate ventila-
tion. NEVER ventilate with oxygen.
Lead-, cadmium-, zinc-, mercury-, beryl-
lium-bearing and similar materials, when
welded or cut, may produce harmful con-
centrations of toxic fumes. Adequate local
exhaust ventilation must be used, or each
person in the area, as well as the operator,
must wear an air-supplied respirator. For
beryllium, both must be used.
Metals coated with or containing materials
that emit toxic fumes should not be heated
unless coating is removed form the work
surface, the area is well ventilated, or the
operator wears an air-supplied respirator.
Work in a confined space only while it is
being ventilated and, if necessary, while
wearing an air-supplied respirator.
Gas leaks in a confined space should be
avoided. Leaked gas in large quantities
can change oxygen concentration danger-
ously. Do not bring gas cylinders into a
confined space.
Leaving confined space, shut OFF gas
supply at source to prevent possible
accumulation of gases in the space if
downstream valves have been accidentally
opened or left open. Check to be sure that
the space is safe before reentering it.
Vapors from chlorinated solvents can
be decomposed by the heat of the arc
(or flame) to form PHOSGENE, a highly
toxic gas, and other lung and eye irritating
products. The ultraviolet (radiant) energy
of the arc can also decompose trichloro-
ethylene and perchloroethylene vapors to
form phosgene. DO NOT WELD or cut
where solvent vapors can be drawn into
the welding or cutting atmosphere or where
the radiant energy can penetrate to atmo-
spheres containing even minute amounts of
trichloroethylene or perchloroethylene.
C. Fire and Explosion Prevention
Causes of fire and explosion are: com-
bustibles reached by the arc, flame, flying
sparks, hot slag, or heated material,
misuse of compressed gases and cyl-
inders, and short circuits.
BE AWARE THAT flying sparks or fall-
ing slag can pass through cracks, along
pipes, through windows or doors, and
through wall or floor openings, out of
sight of the goggled operator. Sparks
can fly many feet.
To prevent fires and explosion:
Keep equipment clean and operable,
free of oil, grease, and (in electrical
parts) of metallic particles that can
cause short circuits.
If combustibles are in area, do NOT weld
or cut. Move the work if practicable, to
an area free of combustibles. Avoid
paint spray rooms, dip tanks, storage
areas, ventilators. If the work cannot
be moved, move combustibles at least
35 feet away, out of reach of sparks and
heat; or protect against ignition with
suitable and snug-fitting, fire-resistant
covers or shields.
Walls touching combustibles on oppo-
site sides should not be welded on (or
cut). Walls, ceilings, and floor near work
should be protected by heat-resistant
covers or shields.
Fire watcher must be standing by with
suitable fire extinguishing equipment
during and for some time after welding
or cutting if:
1.
Appreciable combustibles (includ-
ing building construction) are within 35
feet.
2. Appreciable combustibles are fur-
ther than 35 feet, but can be ignited by
sparks.
3.
Openings (concealed or visible) in
floors or walls within 35 feet may expose
combustibles to sparks.
4. Combustibles adjacent to walls, ceil-
ings, roofs, or metal partitions can be
ignited by radiant or conducted heat.
Hot work permit should be obtained
before operation to ensure supervisor’s
approval that adequate precautions
have been taken.
After work is done, check that area is
free of sparks, glowing embers, and
flames.
An empty container that held combus-
tibles, or that can produce flammable or
toxic vapors when heated, must never
be welded on or cut, unless container
has first been cleaned in accordance
with industry standards.