This article will instruct on how to identify the common hazards associated with welding, cutting and grinding. And outline the steps, you can take to avoid dangerous situations before they occur.

Preparing a safe work environment for welding, cutting and grinding is an important first step before getting to work. In this section, these same safe practices and procedures would apply to any work environment. No matter where you work, you need to be aware of a few specific requirements designed to keep you and your co-workers safe. An additional measure for preparing a safe work area for hot work is to inspect the actual piece you will be working on for any unknown coating. Never apply heat to a work piece covered by an unknown substance or coating. This could produce flammable or toxic vapors. The radiant heat from your hot work can be transmitted to any material contiguous to your work piece. Even if the area you’re working on is mainly feet from an area with an unknown coating, there’s still a risk that radiant heat will create a hazardous environment when it reaches the coated area. Likewise, after completing a welding job, the material should be marked hot or posted with a warning sign to caution other employees.