Welding Safety Notes (Comprehensive)
Welding Safety Notes (Comprehensive)
Risk and safety mindset
A risk is putting yourself in harm or doing something that can cause harm. The speaker emphasizes that in life, there is always some degree of risk; nothing is risk-free.
Acceptable amount of risk: the best definition of safety is an acceptable amount of risk—recognize we can’t eliminate risk, but we can limit it so you don’t come home hurt. The goal is to have the tools to work safely in a shop and in the workforce.
Course objectives (overview)
Describe welding processes and the welding trade in general.
Describe basic welding processes used in the trade and NCCER standardized training/apprentice programs.
Identify and describe personal protective equipment (PPE) related to the welding trade.
Describe welding safety practices for hazards and environments.
Understand hot work permits, fire watch requirements, and confined spaces and related safety practices.
Welding processes (three major processes)
SMAW = Shielded Metal Arc Welding
Flux-coated electrode; flux melts to form gas; slag forms on weld end to protect weld as it cools.
SMAW is the most common welding process.
GMAW = Gas Metal Arc Welding
GTAW = Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
Key safety note: all welding involves electricity; risk of shock is real. A shock can be fatal with as little as
.Grounding: ensure the welding machine is grounded to a good terminal or grounding source to provide an easy path to ground.
Grounding and electrical safety concept
Electricity takes the easiest path to ground; proper grounding prevents you from becoming the ground path.
Always verify grounding before starting work; discuss grounding details in person as you enter booths/workplaces.
Cutting processes
Three cutting types listed: oxy-fuel cutting, carbon arc gouging, and plasma arc cutting.
Most common cutting process: oxy-fuel cutting.
Oxy-fuel fuels:
Common fuels: acetylene, propylene, meddling, natural gas, propane.
Acetylene is the most common in oxy-fuel, but it is unstable if not treated correctly; hence “alternative fuels” are used for safety and cost.
Why acetylene is still used: historically common and produces a hot flame; alternative fuels influence cost and safety profiles.
NCCER and training overview
NCCER = National Center for Construction and Education Research.
It is a training platform used in instruction; demonstration of a career flow chart based on NCCER.
The U.S. Department of Labor sets the standard for apprentices and training programs nationwide.
Note: a chart shows NCCER-based career flow; the standards are nationwide under DoL.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing
Clothing materials commonly used:
Cotton, wool, and leather are the main options. In hot climates (like the South), cotton and leather are common; wool is less used due to heat.
Check clothing tags to confirm material composition.
Fire/ignition risk with clothing:
Avoid cuffs or components that can catch sparks; sparks in cotton can smolder and burn or melt holes.
Layering and protection options:
Leather sleeves and leather apron for arm/torso protection when welding in one location; keeps you cooler with air flow when not doing overhead welding.
For overhead welding, a full leather jacket is preferred to protect the head/shoulders.
Common welding injuries:
The most common injury is burns to arms and hands from sparks and heat; gloves protect hands and arms.
Gloves are chosen based on welding process and material (leather, Kevlar, etc.).
Hearing protection:
Most common is disposable earplugs; protects ears from sparks and hot metal getting into ears.
Eye and face protection:
Eye protection: cutting goggles or safety glasses.
Face protection: face shields add full-face protection; combination of goggles/glasses and shields is common and often encouraged or required.
Lens shade guidance (for eye protection during cutting/welding):
The recommended shade varies by process; the general guidance is:
Oxy-fuel cutting: around shade 5 is sufficient.
Plasma cutting: shade around 8.
Welding (varies with amperage): typically shades between 9 and 12.
A practical suggestion: start with shade 10 and adjust up or down.
Lens shade darkness increases with higher amperage/work brightness. Higher shade number = darker lens.
Welding helmets and hood options:
Various helmet designs with flip-up lenses or fixed shades; try different hoods to determine what works best.
Safety glasses and shading caveats:
Some prefer tinted shields with clear safety glasses; shield protects the face while the glasses protect the eyes.
Personal protective equipment specifics (gloves, goggles, shields) and fit
Glove selection is process-dependent (thicker leather, Kevlar, etc.).
Ear protection: disposable earplugs are commonly used and effective.
Eye protection: combination of goggles/face shield recommended for cutting/welding; shields protect face, goggles protect eyes.
Safety standards and accident factors (ANSI Z49.1)
ANSI Z49.1 provides welding and cutting safety standards.
Accidents are influenced by two major factor categories: Personal factors and Physical factors.
Personal factors (examples from Z49.1)
Alcohol-containing products: oils, gels, hairsprays, or other flammable products on or about the body can ignite.
Illness or injury: working while sick or injured raises risk.
Mental stress: stress outside work can distract you from safety.
Age or inexperience: younger workers may have physical resilience but less experience; older workers have experience but may have reduced tolerance to risky conditions.
Alcohol and drug abuse: employers commonly perform random drug tests; even legal substances can affect job safety; marijuana legality does not imply safety or employment approval in welding.
Practical implication: plan for drug testing and avoid any substances that impair safety.
Physical factors (examples from Z49.1)
Starting and quitting times: most accidents occur at the start or end of shifts when people are less focused.
Foot and vehicle traffic: movement in work areas creates collision/trauma hazards.
Disorganized or messy work area: root cause of many accidents; housekeeping is critical.
Flammable and hazardous materials: proper storage (flameproof cabinet) and control measures are essential around sparks and heat.
Damaged or defective equipment: faulty tools can cause injuries; inspect equipment before use.
Battery hazards: portable welders and generators have batteries that emit hydrogen gas; avoid sparks near batteries to prevent explosions.
Welding screens and protection: screens protect others from flash burns, sparks, and spatter; shields can also protect the weld by reducing drafts.
Welding blankets: protect surrounding materials and equipment from heat; can also be used to control weld cooling rate to meet specific procedures.
Hot work permits and fire watch
Hot work permits are common in chemical plants and other facilities where ignition hazards exist.
A competent person inspects the area and issues a hot work permit, ensuring hazards are controlled.
Fire watch: required for cutting/welding activities; ensures someone is monitoring for fires due to limited visibility or hidden sparks.
Confined spaces
A confined space is defined as spaces not designed for continuous occupancy with limited means of entry and exit.
Examples include bathrooms and tanks with a single entry/exit.
Permit-required confined spaces may require gas analysis using an electronic gas analyzer to monitor air quality (oxygen levels and hazardous gases).
Oxygen levels:
Lower limit: is the minimum for breathable air; below this is oxygen-deficient.
Upper limit: can be hazardous because it increases the risk of fire/explosion.
Confined space precautions include gas analyzers, ventilation, and retrieval devices for worker rescue.
Common respiratory hazards in welding include exposure to cadmium, chromium, zinc, and manganese; respirators are used to filter air according to hazard type and concentration.
Respirators and cartridges: cartridge choice depends on contaminant type and concentration; change cartridges when you detect taste or smell (tactile guidance varies by source). The book guidance: change when you detect a change in taste or smell.
Ventilation options in confined spaces:
Natural ventilation: open doors/windows.
Mechanical ventilation: use fans to introduce fresh air.
Source extraction: hoods/arms placed 2–4 inches from the welding source to directly pull away fumes (2–4 inches is the typical target distance; adjust if impractical).
Ventilation and fume control concepts
Source extraction acts like a vacuum to remove fumes from the source; distance from source is important for effectiveness.
Adequate ventilation is essential for preventing asphyxiation and chemical exposure.
Battery and hydrogen gas hazards
Portable welding machines and generators rely on batteries that emit hydrogen gas; hydrogen is flammable; avoid sparks near batteries.
Safety equipment usage in the shop
Welding screens: protect others from flash, sparks, and spatter; protect the welder from drafts that could affect weld quality.
Welding blankets: protect surrounding materials; may be used when welding on or near hot surfaces (e.g., boiler) or to control cooling rates of welded joints.
Blankets can also be used to cover areas to control cooling rates to meet welding procedure requirements.
Practical safety planning and exam-ready takeaways
Always plan safety steps before starting work: grounding, PPE, ventilation, and hot work permits as needed.
Recognize and mitigate common accident triggers: starting/ending shifts, disorganized spaces, and exposure to flammable materials.
Use PPE and practices appropriate to the specific welding or cutting process in use.
Understand and apply the relevant standards and training programs (Z49.1, NCCER, DoL requirements).
Be prepared to select appropriate PPE combinations (gloves, eye/face protection, hearing protection, protective clothing) and verify their proper use.
Quick reference: shade guidance and protective gear summary
Oxy-fuel cutting: lens shade ~5; welding in general: shades around 9–12; start with shade 10 and adjust up/down as needed.
Plasma cutting: lens shade ~8.
The higher the shade number, the darker the lens.
PPE should be chosen based on process specifics and environment; comfort and visibility are also important to maintain safety and performance.
Final notes
This session is a broad overview of welding safety; expect more safety factors to be covered in depth in subsequent chapters.
If there are questions, bring them to the next class for clarification.
Key terminology recap (quick glossary)
SMAW: Shielded Metal Arc Welding
GMAW: Gas Metal Arc Welding
GTAW: Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
NCCER: National Center for Construction and Education Research
Z49.1: ANSI standard for welding and cutting safety
Oxy-fuel: cutting with an oxygen and fuel gas flame
Hot work permit: permit to perform cutting/welding in hazardous areas
Fire watch: person designated to monitor for fires during hot work
Confined space: space with limited entry/exit and not designed for continuous occupancy
Gas analyzer: device to measure oxygen and hazardous gas levels in air
Source extraction: fume-hood or hood system positioned close to the welding source to pull fumes away
End of overview. Additional safety factors will be addressed in course chapters as you progress.
Welding Safety Notes (Comprehensive)
Risk and safety mindset
A risk is putting yourself in harm or doing something that can cause harm. The speaker emphasizes that in life, there is always some degree of risk; nothing is risk-free.
Acceptable amount of risk: the best definition of safety is an acceptable amount of risk—recognize we can’t eliminate risk, but we can limit it so you don’t come home hurt. The goal is to have the tools to work safely in a shop and in the workforce. Achieving an acceptable amount of risk involves identifying potential hazards, assessing their severity and likelihood, and implementing control measures to reduce risk to a tolerable level.
Course objectives (overview)
Describe welding processes and the welding trade in general.
Describe basic welding processes used in the trade and NCCER standardized training/apprentice programs.
Identify and describe personal protective equipment (PPE) related to the welding trade.
Describe welding safety practices for hazards and environments.
Understand hot work permits, fire watch requirements, and confined spaces and related safety practices.
Welding processes (three major processes)
SMAW = Shielded Metal Arc Welding
Flux-coated electrode; flux melts to form gas; slag forms on weld end to protect weld as it cools.
SMAW is the most common welding process.
GMAW = Gas Metal Arc Welding
Uses a continuously fed solid wire electrode and a shielding gas (e.g., argon, CO2, or a mix) to protect the weld puddle from atmospheric contamination.
GTAW = Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
Utilizes a non-consumable tungsten electrode and a separate filler metal (if required) with an inert shielding gas (typically argon) to produce high-quality, precise welds.
Key safety note: all welding involves electricity; risk of shock is real.
A shock can be fatal with as little as . A severe electrical shock, potentially fatal, can occur with currents as low as to passing through the heart, making the specified an extremely dangerous level.
Grounding: ensure the welding machine is grounded to a good terminal or grounding source to provide an easy path to ground.
Grounding and electrical safety concept
Electricity takes the easiest path to ground; proper grounding prevents you from becoming the ground path.
Always verify grounding before starting work; discuss grounding details in person as you enter booths/workplaces. Regularly inspect ground clamps and cables for damage or loose connections, and ensure they are attached to clean, bare metal surfaces on the workpiece or work-table that provide a direct path to the earth ground.
Cutting processes
Three cutting types listed: oxy-fuel cutting, carbon arc gouging, and plasma arc cutting.
Most common cutting process: oxy-fuel cutting.
Oxy-fuel cutting: Uses a mixture of oxygen and a fuel gas to preheat metal to its ignition temperature, then a stream of pure oxygen to oxidize and cut through the metal.
Carbon arc gouging: Uses a carbon electrode and compressed air to melt and blow away metal, typically for weld preparation or defect removal.
Plasma arc cutting: Employs a high-temperature, ionized gas (plasma) to cut electrically conductive materials.
Oxy-fuel fuels:
Common fuels: acetylene, propylene, meddling, natural gas, propane.
Acetylene is the most common in oxy-fuel, but it is unstable if not treated correctly; hence “alternative fuels” are used for safety and cost. Acetylene is highly unstable under pressure or at high temperatures and can decompose explosively without proper handling and storage, which is why it's dissolved in acetone within cylinders. Alternative fuels like propylene and propane offer a safer storage profile and a more stable flame, reducing explosion risks and often leading to lower operational costs, even if they don't always achieve the same flame temperature as acetylene.
NCCER and training overview
NCCER = National Center for Construction and Education Research. A not-for-profit education foundation that develops standardized training and credentialing programs for the construction and maintenance industries, ensuring consistent quality and portability of skills.
It is a training platform used in instruction; demonstration of a career flow chart based on NCCER.
The U.S. Department of Labor sets the standard for apprentices and training programs nationwide.
Note: a chart shows NCCER-based career flow; the standards are nationwide under DoL.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing
Clothing materials commonly used:
Cotton, wool, and leather are the main options. In hot climates (like the South), cotton and leather are common; wool is less used due to heat. These materials are preferred because they are naturally flame-resistant or highly resistant to burning and melting when exposed to sparks and heat, unlike synthetic materials (e.g., polyester, nylon) which can melt onto the skin, causing severe burns.
Check clothing tags to confirm material composition.
Fire/ignition risk with clothing:
Avoid cuffs or components that can catch sparks; sparks in cotton can smolder and burn or melt holes. Cuffs, open pockets, or any other clothing components that can trap hot sparks or molten metal should be avoided as they create ignition points. Sparks in cotton can smolder and burn unnoticed, leading to delayed ignition or significant burns, while synthetics can melt and adhere to the skin.
Layering and protection options:
Leather sleeves and leather apron for arm/torso protection when welding in one location; keeps you cooler with air flow when not doing overhead welding.
For overhead welding, a full leather jacket is preferred to protect the head/shoulders.
Common welding injuries:
The most common injury is burns to arms and hands from sparks and heat; gloves protect hands and arms. Burns can range from minor first-degree skin irritation to severe third-degree burns that damage underlying tissue. Besides burns, common injuries include 'welder's flash' (arc eye) from UV exposure, metal fume fever, and crushing injuries from falling objects or equipment.
Gloves are chosen based on welding process and material (leather, Kevlar, etc.).
Hearing protection:
Most common is disposable earplugs; protects ears from sparks and hot metal getting into ears. Earplugs protect against high-decibel noise generated by processes like grinding, chipping, and arc gouging, which can cause permanent hearing loss, and also prevent sparks or hot metal from entering the ear canal.
Eye and face protection:
Eye protection: cutting goggles or safety glasses. Cutting goggles typically wrap around to protect from flying debris and UV/IR radiation during torch cutting, while safety glasses offer impact protection certified by standards like ANSI Z87.1.
Face protection: face shields add full-face protection; combination of goggles/glasses and shields is common and often encouraged or required.
Lens shade guidance (for eye protection during cutting/welding):
The recommended shade varies by process; the general guidance is:
Oxy-fuel cutting: around shade 5 is sufficient.
Plasma cutting: shade around 8.
Welding (varies with amperage): typically shades between 9 and 12.
A practical suggestion: start with shade 10 and adjust up or down.
Lens shade darkness increases with higher amperage/work brightness. Higher shade number = darker lens. The primary purpose of lens shade is to protect the eyes from intense visible light, ultraviolet (UV), and infrared (IR) radiation produced during welding or cutting, preventing conditions like arc flash (photokeratitis) and cataracts.
Welding helmets and hood options:
Various helmet designs with flip-up lenses or fixed shades; try different hoods to determine what works best.
Safety glasses and shading caveats:
Some prefer tinted shields with clear safety glasses; shield protects the face while the glasses protect the eyes.
Personal protective equipment specifics (gloves, goggles, shields) and fit
Glove selection is process-dependent (thicker leather, Kevlar, etc.).
Ear protection: disposable earplugs are commonly used and effective.
Eye protection: combination of goggles/face shield recommended for cutting/welding; shields protect face, goggles protect eyes.
Safety standards and accident factors (ANSI Z49.1)
ANSI Z49.1 provides welding and cutting safety standards.
Accidents are influenced by two major factor categories: Personal factors and Physical factors.
Personal factors (examples from Z49.1)
Alcohol-containing products: oils, gels, hairsprays, or other flammable products on or about the body can ignite. Alcohol-containing products (e.g., hand sanitizers, hairspray) applied on or near the body can easily ignite when exposed to welding sparks or flames, creating a significant burn hazard.
Illness or injury: working while sick or injured raises risk. Illness or injury impairs judgment and physical capability, increasing accident risk.
Mental stress: stress outside work can distract you from safety. Mental stress can divert attention, leading to lapses in critical safety procedures.
Age or inexperience: younger workers may have physical resilience but less experience; older workers have experience but may have reduced tolerance to risky conditions. Age or inexperience influences risk tolerance and recognition of hazards; younger workers may lack experience-based caution, while older workers might have reduced physical agility.
Alcohol and drug abuse: employers commonly perform random drug tests; even legal substances can affect job safety; marijuana legality does not imply safety or employment approval in welding.
Practical implication: plan for drug testing and avoid any substances that impair safety.
Physical factors (examples from Z49.1)
Starting and quitting times: most accidents occur at the start or end of shifts when people are less focused. Most accidents occur when focus is low, such as at the start (before full alertness) or end of shifts (due to fatigue or rushing).
Foot and vehicle traffic: movement in work areas creates collision/trauma hazards. Uncontrolled foot and vehicle traffic in work areas poses collision and crush hazards.
Disorganized or messy work area: root cause of many accidents; housekeeping is critical. A disorganized or messy work area, with obstructed pathways or scattered tools, is a root cause of slips, trips, and falls.
Flammable and hazardous materials: proper storage (flameproof cabinet) and control measures are essential around sparks and heat. Improperly stored flammable and hazardous materials (fuels, solvents, compressed gases) near ignition sources (sparks, heat) create significant fire and explosion risks; they should be stored in flameproof cabinets or designated areas away from hot work.
Damaged or defective equipment: faulty tools can cause injuries; inspect equipment before use.
Battery hazards: portable welders and generators have batteries that emit hydrogen gas; avoid sparks near batteries to prevent explosions.
Welding screens and protection: screens protect others from flash burns, sparks, and spatter; shields can also protect the weld by reducing drafts.
Welding blankets: protect surrounding materials and equipment from heat; can also be used to control weld cooling rate to meet specific procedures.
Hot work permits and fire watch
Hot work permits are common in chemical plants and other facilities where ignition hazards exist.
A competent person inspects the area and issues a hot work permit, ensuring hazards are controlled.
Fire watch: required for cutting/welding activities; ensures someone is monitoring for fires due to limited visibility or hidden sparks.
Confined spaces
A confined space is defined as spaces not designed for continuous occupancy with limited means of entry and exit. These spaces are particularly dangerous due to limited ventilation which can lead to hazardous atmospheric conditions (oxygen deficiency/enrichment, toxic fumes), potential for engulfment, and restricted entry/exit making rescue difficult.
Examples include bathrooms and tanks with a single entry/exit.
Permit-required confined spaces may require gas analysis using an electronic gas analyzer to monitor air quality (oxygen levels and hazardous gases).
Oxygen levels:
Lower limit: is the minimum for breathable air; below this is oxygen-deficient. Oxygen-deficient atmospheres (below ) can cause dizziness, loss of consciousness, and death from asphyxiation.
Upper limit: can be hazardous because it increases the risk of fire/explosion. Oxygen-rich atmospheres (above ) significantly increase the flammability of materials and the intensity of fires, making sparks highly dangerous.
Confined space precautions include gas analyzers, ventilation, and retrieval devices for worker rescue.
Common respiratory hazards in welding include exposure to cadmium, chromium, zinc, and manganese; respirators are used to filter air according to hazard type and concentration. Exposure to metal fumes (e.g., cadmium, chromium, zinc, manganese) can cause acute conditions like metal fume fever or chronic diseases affecting the lungs, kidneys, and nervous system. Respirators, such as N95, P100, or supplied-air respirators, are chosen based on the specific contaminants, their concentration, and the regulatory permissible exposure limits (PELs).
Respirators and cartridges: cartridge choice depends on contaminant type and concentration; change cartridges when you detect taste or smell (tactile guidance varies by source). The book guidance: change when you detect a change in taste or smell.
Ventilation options in confined spaces:
Natural ventilation: open doors/windows. Relies on air currents through open doors and windows. Often insufficient for welding fumes.
Mechanical ventilation: use fans to introduce fresh air. Uses fans, blowers, and ductwork to actively introduce fresh air and exhaust contaminated air, especially effective in larger areas or semi-confined spaces.
Source extraction: hoods/arms placed 2–4 inches from the welding source to directly pull away fumes (2–4 inches is the typical target distance; adjust if impractical). Involves using movable hoods or arms positioned 2–4 inches from the weld puddle to capture fumes at their origin, preventing them from spreading into the breathing zone of the welder and surrounding environment.
Ventilation and fume control concepts
Source extraction acts like a vacuum to remove fumes from the source; distance from source is important for effectiveness.
Adequate ventilation is essential for preventing asphyxiation and chemical exposure.
Battery and hydrogen gas hazards
Portable welding machines and generators rely on batteries that emit hydrogen gas; hydrogen is flammable; avoid sparks near batteries. During charging and discharge, lead-acid batteries electrolize water, producing hydrogen gas—a highly flammable gas lighter than air. Accumulation of hydrogen in poorly ventilated areas can create an explosive atmosphere, thus sparks, open flames, or even static electricity must be avoided near batteries.
Safety equipment usage in the shop
Welding screens: protect others from flash, sparks, and spatter; protect the welder from drafts that could affect weld quality. Screens also help maintain a cleaner weld by shielding the arc from drafts that can introduce contaminants or rapidly cool the weld, leading to defects.
Welding blankets: protect surrounding materials; may be used when welding on or near hot surfaces (e.g., boiler) or to control cooling rates of welded joints. Typically made from fiberglass or other high-temperature resistant materials, blankets are used to shield heat-sensitive equipment, cables, or structures from sparks, spatter, and radiant heat. They can also aid in post-weld heat treatment by wrapping around a welded joint to slow the cooling process, preventing rapid solidification and reducing residual stress or hardening.
Blankets can also be used to cover areas to control cooling rates to meet welding procedure requirements.
Practical safety planning and exam-ready takeaways
Always plan safety steps before starting work: grounding, PPE, ventilation, and hot work permits as needed. This involves a pre-work hazard assessment, ensuring all necessary PPE is available and functional, setting up adequate ventilation, confirming proper grounding, and obtaining any required permits like hot work permits before striking an arc.
Recognize and mitigate common accident triggers: starting/ending shifts, disorganized spaces, and exposure to flammable materials. Be particularly vigilant at the beginning and end of shifts, maintain a clean and orderly workspace to prevent slips/trips, and ensure all flammable and hazardous materials are properly stored away from the welding area.
Use PPE and practices appropriate to the specific welding or cutting process in use. This means selecting the correct type of welding helmet lens shade, appropriate gloves (e.g., TIG welding gloves are thinner for dexterity, stick welding gloves thicker for heat protection), and specific environmental controls (e.g., fire watch, gas monitoring) relevant to the process (SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, cutting) and work environment.
Understand and apply the relevant standards and training programs (Z49.1, NCCER, DoL requirements).
Be prepared to select appropriate PPE combinations (gloves, eye/face protection, hearing protection, protective clothing) and verify their proper use.
Quick reference: shade guidance and protective gear summary
Oxy-fuel cutting: lens shade ~5; welding in general: shades around 9–12; start with shade 10 and adjust up/down as needed.
Plasma cutting: lens shade ~8.
The higher the shade number, the darker the lens.
PPE should be chosen based on process specifics and environment; comfort and visibility are also important to maintain safety and performance.
Final notes
This session is a broad overview of welding safety; expect more safety factors to be covered in depth in subsequent chapters.
If there are questions, bring them to the next class for clarification.
Key terminology recap (quick glossary)
SMAW: Shielded Metal Arc Welding
GMAW: Gas Metal Arc Welding
GTAW: Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
NCCER: National Center for Construction and Education Research
Z49.1: ANSI standard for welding and cutting safety
Oxy-fuel: cutting with an oxygen and fuel gas flame
Hot work permit: permit to perform cutting/welding in hazardous areas
Fire watch: person designated to monitor for fires during hot work
Confined space: space with limited entry/exit and not designed for continuous occupancy
Gas analyzer: device to measure oxygen and hazardous gas levels in air
Source extraction: fume-hood or hood system positioned close to the welding source to pull fumes away
End of overview. Additional safety factors will be addressed in course chapters as you progress.