Section 325.62106. Ventilation and protection in welding, cutting, and heating.

(1) Gas welding and cutting in general. The applicable technical portions of American National Standards Institute standard ANSI Z49.1 ‘Safety in Welding and Cutting,’ 1967 edition, apply, as referenced in R 325.62102.

(2)     For purposes of this standard, mechanical ventilation shall meet the following requirements:

(a)   Mechanical ventilation shall consist of either general mechanical ventilation systems or local exhaust systems.

(b)   General mechanical ventilation shall be of sufficient capacity and so arranged as to produce the number of air changes necessary to maintain welding fumes and smoke within safe limits, as defined in the MIOSHA standards listed in Table 1 ‘Construction Occupational Health and Environmental Controls.’

(3)  Local exhaust ventilation shall consist of freely movable hoods intended to be placed by the welder or burner as close as practicable to the work.  This system shall be of sufficient

capacity and so arranged as to remove fumes and smoke at the source and keep the concentration of them in the breathing zone within safe limits as defined in the MIOSHA standards listed in Table 1 ‘Construction Occupational Health and Environmental Controls.’

(4)   Contaminated air exhausted from a working space shall be discharged into the open air or otherwise clear of the source of intake air.

(5)   All air replacing withdrawn air shall be clean and respirable.

(6)    Oxygen shall not be used for ventilation purposes, comfort cooling, blowing dust from clothing, or for cleaning the work area.

History: 2014 AACS.