By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Follow health and safety procedures correctly to keep yourself and others safe during work.
- Accurately interpret drawings to understand the fabrication requirements.
- Correctly assemble the fabrication tools and equipment needed for the job.
- Prepare fabrication materials properly according to the job requirements.
- Fit work pieces up to 6 mm thickness accurately following the task requirements.
- Carry out housekeeping tasks following workplace procedures to maintain a clean and safe environment.
Mastering these skills will help you work confidently and safely, making you a valuable and reliable fabricator in the trade.
Occupational health and safety (OHS) standards are fundamental to the welding profession, particularly during bench work where precision tasks are performed in confined spaces. In Kenya, adherence to OHS regulations safeguards welders from common workplace hazards and promotes a culture of safety that aligns with national laws such as the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 2007. This chapter focuses on the critical aspects of OHS as they pertain to bench work, ensuring welding professionals can maintain safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible work practices in workshops and fabrication facilities.
Occupational health and safety standards are the policies, procedures, and practices that protect workers from injury and illness. In welding bench work they address risks from sharp metal, hot work, fumes, noise, and repetitive tasks. A fabrication workshop applies them through hazard identification, good workstation design, waste control, a safe working environment, and safe working practice.
Hazard identification is the process of recognising sources of harm in the bench work area before they cause an accident. It is the first step in controlling risk and in preventing injury. Example: a fabrication workshop may walk through its benches each morning and list sharp edges, loose cables, hot work, and spills before work starts.
Physical hazards are caused by energy, objects, or conditions in the workplace. In bench work they include sharp edges on sheet metal, moving parts of grinders and drills, hot surfaces, flying sparks, noise, and heavy parts. They cause cuts, burns, crush injuries, eye injuries, and hearing loss. Example: handling cut sheet metal without gloves can lead to serious lacerations.
Chemical hazards come from substances that harm the body by breathing, skin contact, or swallowing. In bench work they include welding fumes, solvents, degreasers, cutting oils, paints, and cleaning agents. They can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, and long-term health effects such as occupational asthma. Example: welding in a closed room without ventilation lets toxic fumes build up and damage the lungs.
Biological hazards come from living organisms or their products, such as bacteria, fungi, insects, and contaminated material. In a workshop they arise from dirty water, contaminated first aid or washing areas, rodents and pests, mould in damp stores, and dirty wounds that become infected. Example: a small cut contaminated with soil or rusty dirt may become infected if it is not cleaned and covered at once.
Psychological hazards are workplace factors that harm mental health and well-being. They include stress from pressure to meet deadlines, long hours, fear of injury, harassment or bullying, and poor communication. Stress reduces attention, which increases the chance of accidents. Example: a worker who is tired and rushing to finish an order is more likely to make a mistake with a grinder.
Ergonomics is the fitting of the workstation, tools, and tasks to the worker, to improve comfort, productivity, and safety. Good ergonomic design reduces fatigue and the risk of musculoskeletal injury such as back pain and tendonitis. Poor posture, repeated movement, and long standing are the main causes of such injury. Example: a bench set too low makes a welder bend for hours and causes lower back pain.
The height of the workbench must let the worker keep a neutral posture without bending or stretching. A suitable bench height for standing work is around elbow level, with finer work slightly higher and heavy work slightly lower. This reduces strain on the back and shoulders.
Tools and materials should be within easy reach, to avoid twisting and stretching. Place welding rods, clamps, and measuring tools in front of the worker, and heavy items at waist height.
When the task needs sitting, provide adjustable chairs with lumbar support. For standing tasks, anti-fatigue mats reduce pressure on feet and legs.
Short breaks and a change of tasks prevent repetitive strain injury. Stretching for a short time each hour helps to relax the muscles and keeps the worker alert.
Waste management in the workshop protects the environment and workers' health by controlling hazardous materials and keeping the area clean. Waste is sorted at the point where it is produced, and each type is disposed of in the right way. Example: a workshop may keep separate bins for metal offcuts, used electrodes, oily rags, and general rubbish.
Separate waste into metal scraps, used welding rods, solvents, oily rags, and general refuse. Sorting prevents contamination and makes recycling possible.
Welding slag, solvents, and oily rags must be disposed of as required by environmental regulations, often through licensed waste handlers. Improper disposal pollutes soil and water.
Recycle clean metal scrap, and reuse materials where it is safe, to reduce cost and environmental impact.
Daily cleaning and clear storage reduce tripping hazards and fire risk, and increase efficiency. Oily rags are kept in closed metal containers.
Workplace environmental safety is the control of the conditions in the workshop that affect the health of workers and the people near the workshop. These include air quality, noise, fire risk, and lighting. Example: a bench area near the door with an extraction fan keeps fumes away from the welder's breathing zone.
Good ventilation removes welding fumes and airborne contaminants. Use exhaust fans, extraction hoods at the source, and open doors and vents to provide fresh air.
Grinding and hammering generate noise that damages hearing. Use ear protection, quieter methods, and enclosures, and limit noisy work to the necessary time.
Sparks and hot metal can ignite flammable materials. Keep combustible materials away from hot work, keep suitable fire extinguishers within reach, keep exits clear, and hold regular fire drills.
Good lighting is needed to work accurately and to see hazards. Use bright, adjustable task lighting at the bench to reduce eye strain.
Benchwork safety is the set of working practices that allow the tasks to be done without injury. It combines protective equipment, safe handling, well-kept machines, and awareness of what to do if something goes wrong. Example: a worker checks the guard of a bench grinder and puts on goggles before turning the machine on.
Wear PPE suited to the task: gloves, apron, safety glasses or a face shield, safety boots, ear protection, and a welding helmet for arc work. PPE protects against burns, sparks, cuts, and harmful radiation from the arc.
Use the right tool for the job, keep tools in good condition, and carry sharp tools safely. Lift heavy parts with the legs and not the back, and ask for help with heavy items.
Fit and use guards on all bench machines, and service them regularly, to prevent contact with moving parts. Report faults, and do not use a defective machine.
Know the exit routes, fire extinguishers, and first aid kit. Workers are trained to give first aid for burns and cuts and to respond to fire.
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Create a free accountThis chapter provides a comprehensive overview of carrying out bench work with a strong emphasis on occupational health and safety standards, including the identification of physical, chemical, biological, and psychological hazards, as well as ergonomics and workshop waste management to maintain a safe working environment. It highlights the importance of emergency procedures tailored to bench work settings to ensure prompt and effective responses to incidents. The chapter details various bench work tools and equipment, focusing on their types, correct usage, and proper care and storage to maximize efficiency and longevity. Understanding fabrication drawings and interpreting dimensions accurately is covered to guide precise material preparation, which involves measuring, marking out, cutting, and edge preparation of metals up to 6 mm thick. Various bench work operations such as filing, grinding, drilling, reaming, tapping, sawing, and cutting are explained along with their procedures and practical applications. Finally, the chapter examines fitting and assembly techniques using different fasteners like bolts, screws, nuts, and rivets, essential for joining metal components securely in fabrication tasks.
Which of the following is a physical hazard commonly encountered during benchwork in welding? (2 marks)
a) Exposure to welding fumes
b) Noise from power tools
c) Handling oily rags
d) Repetitive strain injury
Explain how proper ergonomics can reduce injuries in a welding workshop. (3 marks)
At the start of this chapter we promised you would be able to:
Tick each one you can genuinely do.
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