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Pipeline Welding Hazards and Pipeline Welding Clothing

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Pipeline welding and being in the oil and gas industry can be a very challenging but rewarding job. The truth is, whatever environment you work in as long as you weld, you expose yourself to different hazards. But being in the pipeline industry just comes with its own unique challenges. Because of that, it pays to know what kind of hazards you face on the job and what kind of pipeline welding clothing you need.

 

Pipeline Welding Hazards and Pipeline Welding Clothing 

Electric Shock

Arc welding is done almost every day at pipelines. This exposes you to electric shock from the arc between the electrode and the base material that fuse the materials together.

 

As a pipeline welder, you should know better than skimp on high-quality welding PPE. Your job puts you more at risk and that means you need to invest in the right welding gear to protect you from electricity. That includes extremely spark and heat-resistant or flame-resistant welding clothing made of premium leather materials. Make sure you add high-quality welding gloves and dry gloves to that investment and make sure you wear them all the time! 

 

Extreme Weather

Harsh weather conditions are one of the biggest enemies you encounter as a pipeline welder because much of the work is done outdoors. You can either work in a hot or humid environment or in a place where the temperature can get really low. Some work on ocean platforms while others work on rigs where they encounter strong winds. 

 

To protect yourself from extreme weather conditions, go for warm, heat-resistant welder gear and get extreme climate FR insulated coveralls. 

 

If you work in cold temperatures, get welding PPE for winter. But if you’re a pipeline welder working in a hot or humid environment, get welding PPE welders use in the summer. 

 

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Eye Protection

Pipeline welders like you work on or near oil rigs. Whenever pipeline repairs are done, you are exposed to flying debris, harmful sparks, and metal projectiles in dusty conditions. Other than that, you are exposed to UV rays from the welding arc and the sun. 

 

You need the proper eye and head protection like safety glasses or goggles, a welding cap, welding hoods, helmets, and shields that auto-darkening and anti-fog features.

 

Welding Splatter and molten Metal

This is always a concern as long as you are a welder. The proper pipeline welding clothing you need to protect you from welding splatter or molten metal would be a proper FR welding jacket, a welding face mask, a high-quality welding apron, welding spats or show protectors, and the right welding gloves.  

 

Sharp Objects

Working as a pipeline welder, you are exposed to extremely sharp objects and surfaces when you move parts and adjust welded objects. One wrong move and you get injured.

 

A way for you to protect yourself is to get cut-protection gloves. Make sure you buy the right welding gloves preferably one made with leather and Kevlar. That way, you get the flexibility and protection you need. 

 

pipeline welder

Risky Work Positions

Whether you are suspended in the air or you work on an ocean platform, you know you have some risky work positions and these cannot be avoided. Make sure you get crush protection gear. These are the back-of-hand protection you need as a pipe welder. All you need are a pair of impact gloves. According to the International Safety Equipment Association, there is a standard for hand protection that addresses the abrasion, cut, tear, and puncture performance of gloves. 

 

How to care for Pipeline Welding Clothing

As a pipeline welder, you should know how to care for welding clothing. You need to learn how to clean a welder’s work clothes like how to get rid of welding dust/coal dirt, how to clean heavily soiled or heavily stained welding clothing, and how to get grease stains out of welding PPE that has been dried. You also need to learn more about how to wash FR clothing. That way you ensure that your welding clothing lasts longer.

5 Best States for Welding Jobs in the US

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If you’re a welder, anywhere you go in the world would give you opportunities. But if you’re thinking of taking your career to the next level, we give you five of the best states for welding jobs in the US. 

 

According to Chron, the average base pay of welders in the United States is around $44,000 annually if a welder works full time. That’s just the national average. With specialty skills, welders can bring in $20,000 more. An article by The Wall Street Journal in 2014 featured a 24-year-old Texan welder who earned $140,000 right after graduating from Texas State Technical College. This just proves that working in the US can be quite luxurious for welders but it can also depend on the particular city you choose. 

 

5 Best States for Welding Jobs in the US

Texas

Texas is also known as the welding capital of the United States mainly because of the many jobs available. There are over 50,000 welders employed across Texas. Houston is a major city to explore with more than 18.000 welding jobs available. Beaumont-Port Arthur area is also an option. Not as many jobs offered but it only has a population of around 410,000 with only a few welders living in the area as compared to Houston with around 2.3 million residents. 

 

Welders earn an average of $39,000 a year with the bottom 10 percent who make $28,000 a year while the top 10 percent make $45,000. 

 

Wyoming

Wyoming is the 10th largest state by area and is also the least populous and second most sparsely populated state in the US. According to Senior Job Bank, welders are included in the Top 10 of the list of jobs relatively more common in Wyoming than elsewhere. 

 

In Wyoming, the national average a welder earns is $36,364 per year. That’s $17 an hour. Those in the bottom10 percent earn $27,000 while the highest 10 percent earns $48,000. 

 

New Hampshire

New Hampshire is known for major recreational attractions like skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, mountaineering, and other winter sports. It has a broad-based and growing economy with a GDP growth rate of 2.2% in 2018. It had the nation’s lowest poverty rate in 2013 according to the Census Bureau. 

 

The average salary for a welder in New Hampshire is $41,000 or $17 per hour. The bottom 10% earns $28,000 while the top percent make around $45,000. 

 

welding jobs in the US

Nevada

Nevada, also known as the Silver State, because of its importance to silver in history, and is the fourth-largest producer of gold in the world. Its industrial outputs include tourism, minings, entertainment, printing and publishing, machinery, food processing, and electric equipment. 

 

Welders in Nevada earn around $45,000 a year or $17 per hour. The bottom 10 percent earn $28,000 while the top 10 percent earn more than $45,000.

 

Alaska

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Alaska has the highest average annual salary for welders at $71,570. Working here would mean you get double of what other welders in other mainland cities earn. While it’s the highest paying state for welding jobs, not a lot of job opportunities are open with just under one welding job per thousand. 

3 Powerful Tips for Welding Safety

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welding safety
  • Wear Welding Clothing and Protective Equipment
  • Hierarchy of Controls, Safety Pyramid for welders
  • Avoid the Top 4 Common Welding Safety hazards

Welding is very much a challenging yet rewarding job. It’s a craft that has been there since the Bronze age some 2000 years B.C. and will continue to be a growing field in the years to come. In fact, the U.S. will need some 372,664 welding professionals by 2026 so starting a career in welding is actually always a great idea. While welding is indeed a great career, it also comes with risks and that’s why here, we give you 3 powerful tips for welding safety. Whether you’ve been in the field for several years now or just new to the craft, these tips might just save your life. 

There isn’t any other way to stress how important safety is when it comes to welding. One can never be too careful. But just to state some facts, Liggett Law Groups states that 500,000 welders are injured in accidents per year. This number can be very concerning but just proves that safety is always a top priority in the field and that accidents can happen anytime. 

3 Power Tips for Welding Safety that can Save Your Life

Wear Welding Clothing and Protective Equipment

Welding Clothing and Protective Equipment were made for a crucial part of welding safety. Being a welder means being exposed to hazards like fumes and gases, extreme heat, electric shock, and fire and explosion. Not only that, materials and energy released in welding can cause serious burns, blindness, and respiratory damage in some cases. 

A welder must always dress for the occasion whatever the job is. This means a welder should always come to work with a welding helmet, welding gloves, welding jackets, welding boots, and respirators. For a list of protective clothing and equipment, read our blog on “Welding Clothing and Protective Equipment.” To get to know more about welding leathers for maximum protection read, “Leather Welding Clothing and Accessories every Welder Must Have.”

welding safety

Take note of the Safety Pyramid for welders, Hierarchy of Controls

There is a Safety Pyramid welders should be familiar with. If this is your first time hearing or reading about, then make sure you remember this. NIOSH has this pyramid called the Hierarchy of Controls which has a list all welders should know to minimize danger when welding or doing any manual work. This is listed in five categories. 

Elimination 

This is basically what it literally means. Elimination means removing any hazard from your workspace as briefly discussed. The important thing is to make it a habit.

Substitution 

Substitution, in this case, would mean to change whatever equipment, tool, or project you have to remove any hazard. For example, using a less reactive material for a certain job. 

Engineering Controls

This means isolating people from hazards. It’s bad enough that you have unwanted objects around. Make sure people are away from your workspace and have a safe distance all the time. 

Administrative Controls

What this means is that one should have a set of rules and should change workflow to improve safety. If a system doesn’t work, it has to change. If the rules aren’t really being followed, there has to be something done about it. 

PPE

As mentioned, Personal Protective equipment is always a must and should never be removed anytime while on the job. 

Avoid the Top 4 Common Welding Safety Hazards

While there is so much to look out for while welding, here are the top 4 common welding safety hazards and how to avoid and control them. 

Fumes and Gases

Overexposure to welding fumes and gases can cause health problems like cancer, respiratory illnesses, and some impaired speech and movement. This can be controlled by working in a place where there is adequate ventilation and exhaust to keep the fumes and gases away from the breathing zone. An approved respirator can also help. 

Physical Hazards

Physical Hazards are always present anytime on the job. These can cause cuts, burns, eye damage, or damage to the toes or fingers. With welding clothing and protective equipment, these can be avoided. 

Electric Shock

As a welder, you are always exposed to electricity and the possibility of electrocution. This can cause not only serious injury but also death. This can be minimized by inspecting your electric holder and welding equipment all the time before starting any job. A lockout and tag out procedure during repairs done by qualified repair technicians can also ensure that nothing malfunctions. 

Fire and Explosion

While electrocution can be a serious hazard, you also deal with fire and explosion. This is due to flammable materials that may be around the working area. This can be prevented by always making sure your workplace is clutter-free and that you make it a habit to remove anything around before you start working. Make sure you have a Class ABC fire extinguisher while welding and that the gauge is full. If there are flammable materials around, use a welding blanket to cover them just to make sure.  

 

Welding Automation, Will Robots Replace Welders in the Future?

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welding automation

What exactly is welding automation and will welders be replaced by robots in the future? Are we going to be out of a job in the next few years? These are questions that linger in our minds most especially now that almost everything is being automated or replaced by machines. Here we answer that question by talking about facts, realities, and possibilities.

The fact of the matter is, the welding industry has been facing inefficiencies and a shortage of skilled labor. According to the Robotic Industries Association, the American Welders Society reported that in 2010 there was a shortage of 200,00 welders and projected that there will be a shortage of 327,000 welders by 2026. That’s the major reason why companies turn to automated welding solutions which involve the use of robots and Artificial Intelligence (AI). While it is something that has been talked about in the past by forums on welding and other news sites, we should know where we are in the matter. 

Can welding be automated? What is Welding Automation?

The answer to this is yes. In fact, automation has been changing the welding industry for many years in that it has already overtaken the tasks of welders. What is automation in welding for starters? To understand that, you have to know manual welding and robotic or automatic welding. 

Manual welding is when a welder manipulates the torch or electrode holder by hand and has complete control of the welding process. Automatic welding, on the other hand, involves the use of robotic systems to perform a part (take note of this) of the whole welding process. 

If you didn’t know yet, there are two main types of welding automation.
1. Semi-automatic
This involves robots working with and close to human operators. A welder places some parts into a welding fixture, the robotic system then performs its function, and once done, the welder removed the finished product.

2.Fully automatic In this case, the whole welding process itself is done by a series of custom made machines from loading down to the manipulation of the torch. 

Now that’s out of the table, the next question is…..

Can robots replace welders?

In 2017, Robotics Industries Association online discussed about cloning master welders with robotics and it opened with the statement, “With all the talk about robots replacing humans, we’re here to show that they need us as much as we need them. The robots can’t do it alone.” 

The article talked about Zane Michael, a welder who began his career in 1979 who has degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering, and master’s degrees in manufacturing and operations management from Kettering University.  With his 40 years of welding experience, he has become a AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and Certified Welding Educator (CWE). 

Michael is the Director of Thermal Business Development for robot manufacturer Yaskawa Motoman in Ohio and markets welding automation in North America. Speaking to manufacturers or clients, Michael would ask why they are interested in working with robots. He found out the main reason was that either they are not able to find qualified welders or they aren’t able to keep them. 

It was at this point where Micheal stressed that the best welders can make the best robot programmers. If you want to be a top-notch welder, you’d have to study in a school for nine months to know and understand the welding process and to be certified. 

Michael then says it’s easier to teach someone to program a robot than to teach someone to weld. If a hired operator who doesn’t understand the whole welding process is given a weldment to work a robot, he or she might have a hard time doing it right. But if an experienced and certified welder who understands the whole process is taught how to program a robot in just two weeks, then there’s a good chance he or she would be successful with the robot. 

welding automation

So you see, robots cannot entirely replace welders or humans for that matter. These AI machines can easily make a weld with a torch in a joint turning the arc on but understanding all the principles in producing a quality weld is still on the shoulders of a top-notch welder. 

In 2014, the American Welding Society discussed a few myths about robots in the welding industry. One myth says, “ A robot is going to steal my job.” AWS says robotic welding or welding automation is only used as a supplement, not as a replacement. It also discussed, at one point, the myth that says, “Let’s weld everything with a robot.” While it’s true that there are tasks that machines and robots can do faster, there are welding tasks that only humans can do. Which brings us back to the statement,  “With all the talk about robots replacing humans, we’re here to show that they need us as much as we need them. The robots can’t do it alone.”

These two questions about welding automation are just but a reminder for us to believe in the fact that the future remains bright for welders. Even the American Welding Society believes it to be true.

Let this also be a motivation for those who are thinking to start their career as welders or welders to further upgrade their skills. There is a future for you out there and that the possibilities and opportunities are limitless. Read our blog on the 5 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Career in Welding. 

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Welding Tips for Beginners

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Welding Tips for Beginners

welding tips

If you’re here that means you have decided to try your hand at welding. Congratulations! You are in for an adventure. Before we go to specifics, know that to get better at welding, hands-on experience is definitely essential. It’s the only way you learn and improve fast. Here we give you the basics of what you need to know to get started - welding tips for beginners - to make sure you adjust quickly and effectively.

Not a lot of people realize that a career in welding, altho risky, can be very fulfilling and rewarding. It gives you travel opportunities, allows you to earn what doctors and even lawyers earn, it’s always in demand and you don’t need a college degree to be a welder. If you’re having second thoughts about taking this route in life, don’t. A career in welding is one of the best choices you will make for yourself. With that, let’s move on to the five welding tips for beginners. 

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5 Welding Tips for Beginners

Welding Tip #1 Know the Fundamentals of welding

Before you go on and actually do anything hands-on, read and learn more about the fundamentals. Get to know some terms, the most common types of welding processes, and any other fundamentals there are. Assuming you haven’t done that yet, here’s a quick rundown of the most important things you should know. 

The process of welding is quite simple. It’s joining two pieces of metal by heating them to its melting point. Once these pieces of metal are melted, they combine in a weld pool and are finally joined together when the molten liquid solidifies. 

A filler, a third source of metal, is used together with the two base metals which adds to its total mass. These filler metals could be electrodes, continuously fed wire, or filler rods. This depends on the type of welding process being done. 

The key to welding is to creating a puddle where you can melt the filler material.  If you stay in one place for too long, it burns a hole in your base metal or you could end up getting your welder stuck. So, if you are going to do any beginner practice at all, it should be to practice leading that puddle without trying to join any metal together. 

It’s the speed you travel and the distance you have between the rod and base that’s important. If it’s too close the rod can stick, if it’s too far it can splatter and disconnect the arc. 

Welding Tip #2 Decide what welding process you’d like to learn first

Reading more about the fundamentals of welding, you’d know a bit more about the different methods or types of welding. There’s TIG welding, MIG welding, Stick Welding, and Flux Cored Arc welding.  

One thing you have to know as early as now is that there is no one method or process of welding that works for all applications. So, think of what kind of projects you want to work on and decide what process you want to master. 

Welding Tip #3 Buy some tools and take care of them

A beginner should have some tools to get started. As someone who is just starting to make it all happen, here are some of the basic tools you should have:

  • Measuring tools – calipers, tape measure, metal T squares, marking tool
  • Welding clamps
  • Welding magnets
  • Sheet Metal Gauge
  • Electrode
  • Wire and Electrode Feed
  • Angle Grinder
  • Metal Brush

A tip. Electrodes or filler metals (welding rods) are one of those you really have to take extra care for. Most methods like in TIG welding, for example, rely on the cleanliness of the surface material and the purity of the rod. Also, make sure you calibrate electrode size and amperage before welding. Take care of your tools and they will take care of you. 

Welding Tip #4 Get yourself some welding protective clothing and equipment

You’ve got the fundamentals, you’ve got the goal. Now you’re a bit ready to do some observing or maybe even some more hands-on practice. But even before you can do that, make sure you have your own welding protective clothing and equipment because safety is still a priority. 

If you go shopping for your own gear, you’d find that there’s a lot to choose from. You have welding jackets, gloves, sleeves, aprons, chaps, leggings, coveralls, safety boots, welding helmet, safety glasses, respirators, ear muffs, and even welding blankets. For each of these, there are thousands of brands and thousands of different styles. All it takes is for you to know each of them and read more about how to choose the best ones.

Read:
Welding Protective Clothing and Equipment
How to Choose the Right Welding Jacket
Welding Sleeves: A Complete Buying Guide
3 Factors to Consider in Buying the Best Welding Gloves
What to Know About a Welding Apron
How do I Choose the Right Welding Blanket

Once you’ve done a bit of research, one thing more you should remember in protecting yourself, NEVER look directly at a welding arc even for just a second or a split second for that matter. This can damage your eyes and could stop you from even doing any welding even before you’ve started. 

Welding Tip #5 Find a welding mentor and Practice!

Sure there are welding schools our courses where you can learn a ton of stuff which you can’t learn anywhere else. Once you educate yourself, you need to have a welding mentor who can help you improve. One who wouldn’t just tell you your work is good when really it isn’t. Find one who has years of experience and who isn’t afraid to tell you what you’re doing wrong. 

If they aren’t really so much into teaching, find someone you can observe and mirror. That way, you learn tricks you wouldn’t find in books or any other material. Actual welding is still the best way to learn so you have to make sure you learn from the best. 

Lastly, practice. All the reading, all the observing won’t really do you good if you won’t practice. It takes time to learn a method, and it takes time to actually know the right way to do it. So, start now and don’t waste time. Build your career as a welder and you won’t be sorry. It may be risky, but it’s also lucrative, fun, and can provide endless opportunities. Good luck!

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5 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Career in Welding

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5 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Career in Welding

career in welding

After high school, the question you have on your mind is, “what now?” While some have it all figured out, some have no idea what to do. Others have decided to get a career in medicine, law, the hospitality industry, teaching, construction, and more. But one that hasn’t really gotten that much attention is a career in welding. Most don’t realize that It’s lucrative, fun, and can provide endless opportunities. If that hasn’t crossed your mind, you might want to read on.

Welding is a job that involves the joining of metal materials with intense heat or gas using particular equipment and machines. It also involves a certain level of math and building skills to calculate dimensions and read blueprints. A welder is a skilled tradesman or tradeswoman trained for that specific job. 

Why welding is a great career choice

There are different types of welding and each requires a different skill set. But whatever type of one gets into – TIG welding, MIG welding, or Stick welding – one thing is for sure, it’s a job that can really be challenging but really rewarding at the same time. Here’s why welding is a great career choice. 

1. You can earn what doctors or lawyers earn

Welding is a trade job that requires a specific skill set as we’ve already established. Like doctors and lawyers, welders train and study to understand some theories and learn how to perform specific tasks or jobs. Most of all, they put their life on the line to work in hazardous conditions.  According to Indeed, “welding jobs tend to pay well because of the skills and knowledge required and the unique work environment.” A welder’s salary varies and it depends on the industry, location, type of welding, and experience. If you want to get into the numbers, entry welders earn $40,000 a year which can increase to up to $100,000 or even $500,000 a year depending on experience in a good field.  Indeed states that the top five welders who earn the most are pipe welders, aerospace welders, military support welders, underwater welders, and a certified welding supervisor. 

2. Travel Opportunities

Now that you know a career in welding pays well, you might also want to know the vast travel opportunities it gives. Skilled welders are wanted and in demand in different countries all over the world. Remember, there aren’t any buildings, planes, boats, ships, or even cars without welders. Welders work under the sea, outer space, and everywhere else in between. Welding jobs that allow you travel would include industrial shutdowns, shipbuilding and repair, military support personnel, on-board ship maintenance and repair, pipe installation, motorsports, and underwater welding. If you don’t mind working in a different country and exploring different cultures while on the job, this is the ideal trade for you. You could become a “Road Warrior,” a welder who travels for a living. 

career in welding

3. Always in demand, the future looks great

Now you know it pays well and it brings you to places. This third reason would put your mind at ease. A career in welding will always be in demand. Companies will always hire welders as long as there’s a metal that needs to be joined to another metal to have something work right.  So whether it’s 5, 10, 15 years from now, you know for sure you will always have a job. The future will always look great!

4. Endless Career paths, diverse opportunities

The welding industry presents diverse opportunities. There’s a range of endless types of projects from workshops that focus on a narrow range of fabricating to others that do so many kinds. The technique can be the same for whatever you weld, but the work environment and the job can be different. This is what makes this career more interesting.  Being a welder means you have numerous choices of industries to work in. With additional training, you can work in different fields and find other career opportunities like maybe get into engineering, education, robotics, sales, inspection, and even project management. There are welding schools that can help welders get to where they want in their career some even offer it for free. You can even start your own business. The point is, endless possibilities! 

career-in-welding

5. You don’t need a college degree, it’s hands-on, and welding is a hell lot of fun!

You know by now that a career in welding does not really require a college degree. That in itself is a reason for you to consider it. All you need is a welding certificate that you can get in as little as nine months. After that, you can start earning a living. It wouldn’t take years unlike those who get into medicine and law. But like them, you get trained for a specific job that only you could do.  With these five points, you now realize that a career in welding can definitely be lucrative, fun, and can provide endless opportunities. And while there are risks attached to it, remember that every job has that. A career in welding means you get to be hands-on and you get to earn a living while bringing yourself higher in that ladder to success. It’s stable, it’s in demand, it pays well, and it’s a hell lot of fun. What more could you ask for?

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