Health Concerns With Welding Used Oilfield Pipe

Safety precautions must be taken every time welding occurs. Eye and skin protection are the two most obvious, but other precautions are also crucial. Welding oil pipe poses its own unique set of health concerns, and because of this the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has laws in place for welding.

Explosion

• Explosion is a very serious health concern when welding used oil pipe. What happens is that petroleum gives off flammable fumes. When the section of pipe is drained of oil, the fumes remain. If these fumes are not vented out properly, they will explode. This is very much akin to trying to weld on an empty gas tank. Because of this hazard, OSHA has laws for welding any hollow structure that contained flammables. First, the area has to be drained. Second, the area either has to be filled with water or cleaned. Third, it has to have venting. Finally, the internal atmosphere has to be tested to detect any flammable fumes first. If any are detected, steps must be taken to remove them.

Fire

• Showers of sparks are produced when welding, and these must be accounted for. The welder being caught in a fire set off by the sparks is never good. The area around the welder must be free of flammable debris. Furthermore, If a fire hazard cannot be moved out of the sparks' reach, the area must be protected with a guard. The guard must be sufficiently fireproof to shield the component from the sparks. This is particularly true if welding has to be done on overhead pipelines, with flammables below the welding area.

Fume Inhalation

• Fumes and smoke are produced when welding. A welder must wear a respirator sufficiently strong to protect him against the fumes involved. The list of OSHA laws is extensive on respirator usage, but in a nutshell, you must wear one. You must size up a respirator to the level and type of fumes involved, and make sure it is in operating order before you start to weld. This is an OSHA mandate.