Brazing and Soldering: Chapter 6
Safety
In this module, we will identify the dangers of brazing and soldering.We will also look at the safety precautions to follow to avoid them.Skip to quiz!
Fire Damage
Recall that brazing soldering process is carried out using flame that produces high heat. There is always a threat that during these operations, a fire may break out. A fire extinguisher is a handy tool used to put off the fire by discharging a jet of water or gas.
Before starting the brazing or soldering operation, we should identify objects that can catch fire due to heat. We should not perform these operations in the presence of a flammable or explosive atmosphere.
We should not carry out brazing and soldering operation near readily ignitable materials. For example, non-metals like nylon inside valve or PVC pipe used for connecting piping of HVAC system can catch fire. So, we should disassemble them while performing brazing and soldering.
Pressurized Risks
Recall that gases used for brazing are stored at high pressure inside cylinders. We need to make sure that no gas is present in the system before brazing otherwise it will show wrong pressure reading. Check the pressure gauges. If they do not show zero, it means that some gas is present in the hoses.
If the gas is present in the hoses or system, we need to drain the system before starting brazing. This will remove any gas that is still present in the system. The video shows the draining procedure.
Recall that gases used for brazing are prone to explosion if not handled properly. If they leak from any part of cylinder, they can cause hazardous explosion. We should always check leaks before using the gas.
Recall that we use nitrogen gas for leak test. We should never use compressed air for checking leakage. Compressed air is highly pressurized gas. This can push an object with a great amount of force if leaks through joint and cause damage to nearby object.
Safety
Recall that valve has rubber bushings inside that can be damaged due to heat. The schrader valve also has rubber bushings inside and on the valve body. To prevent damage, we should always remove schrader fitting from joint before brazing.
While performing brazing, soldering, and welding operation, we should always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect against health and safety hazards.
These includes:
Heat resistant clothing,
Safety glasses,
Face and Respiratory Masks,
Gloves, and
Safety-toed shoes.
The hazards from heat, sparks and molten metal can be minimized by wearing flame resistance clothing. We should always wear flame-resistant cotton or leather clothing. Any other material such as synthetic, nylon or polyester wear is strictly prohibited during the operation as they burn very easily.
It is essential to wear safety glasses when working near hazardous radiation caused by brazing and soldering. Safety glasses are crucial because they provide protection to our eyes and prevent things from causing injury to them.
Gloves are essential because they protect our hands while also allowing us to perform our job. We should wear leather gloves while performing brazing and soldering as they keep sparks and lights away from our hands.
Face and respiratory masks are important to protect our lungs. We may be exposed to hazardous fumes while heating metal. For example, brazing pipes in HVAC systems can cause hazardous fumes.
We wear safety-toed leather shoes or boots to protect our feet from sparks and molten metal. Safety gear is important to wear at work because it protects us from possible injury or death.
Brazing and soldering has fire risk and pressure risk. The following safety gears are important to wear while brazing and soldering to protect ourselves from harm:
Hard hats,
Safety glasses,
Gloves,
Face masks, and
Safety-toed shoes.
Question #1: What does the acronym PASS stand for?To heat the base metal above melting point
Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep
Pull, Aim, Sweep and Squeeze
Push, Aim, Sweep and Squeeze
Push, Aim, Swap, and Seal
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Answer: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep
The acronym PASS stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep.
Pull the pin to unlock fire extinguisher and aim at the base of the fire. Squeeze the extinguisher level to discharge content and sweep the hose back and forth until extinguisher is empty.
Question #2: We should always carry brazing and soldering in the flammable environment to aid fast heating.
True
False
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Answer: False
False!
We should not perform these operations in the presence of a flammable or explosive atmosphere
Question #3: Why do we remove gas present inside the system?
It will show wrong pressure reading
It will block the hoses
It will increase the temperature of cylinder
It will cause leakage
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Answer: It will show wrong pressure reading
Recall that pressure gauges do not show correct pressure, if some gas is present in the system.
Question #4: What is the process of draining a oxygen cylinder?
Turn the oxygen regulator under the gauges clockwise and open oxygen knob on torch handle
Using vacuum pump to drain cylinder
Using leak detection technique to drain the system
Pressurise the gas using regulator and then connect pipes
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Answer: Turn the oxygen regulator under the gauges clockwise and open oxygen knob on torch handle
Recall that for draining the cylinder we need to remove gas present inside.
We need to turn the oxygen regulator under the gauges clockwise and open oxygen knob on torch handle to remove the gas present inside.
Question #5: Which of the following scenarios would require us to wear safety glasses?
We wear safety glasses when working near hazardous radiation.
We wear safety glasses when leak checking.
We wear safety glasses when working on the computer.
We wear safety glasses when purging nitrogen.
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Answer: We wear safety glasses when working near hazardous radiation
we should wear safety glasses when working near hazardous radiation of brazing and soldering
Question #6: We wear gloves because they can protect our eyes from being exposed to radiation.
False
True
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Answer: False
False!
We wear gloves to protect our hands from burns.
Question #7: Which safety gear should we wear to protect our lungs from inhaling dangerous brazing fumes?
Hard hat
Safety glasses
Gloves
Face or respiratory masks
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Answer: Face or respiratory masks
We wear face or respiratory masks to protect ourselves from inhaling dangerous brazing fumes.
Question #8: We wear safety-toed leather shoes to protect our feet from fire hazard.
False
True
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Answer: True
True!
We wear safety-toed shoes to protect our feet from sparks and molten metal.