dangerous to your eyes and skin. In chapter 3, personal safety items, such as helmets, lenses, and gloves, were covered. An important item that needs to be covered here is welding screens. The welder not only has to protect himself but he also must take precautions to protect other people who may be working close by. When you are welding in the field, you must install a welding screen around your work area. It can be an elaborate factory-manufactured screen or as simple as one constructed on site from heavy fire-resistant canvas.

WARNING

Never look at thes welding arc without proper eye protection. Looking at the arc with the naked eye could result in permanent eye damage. If you receive flash burns, they should be treated by medical personnel.

Another area often overlooked is ventilation. Welding produces a lot of smoke and fumes that can be injurious to the welder if they are allowed to accumulate. This is especially true if you are welding in a tank or other inclosed area. Permanent welding booths should be equipped with a exhaust hood and fan system for removal of smoke and fumes.

EQUIPMENT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Learning to arc weld requires you to possess many skills. Among these skills are the abilities to set up, operate, and maintain your welding equipment.

WELDING AREA REQUIREMENTS

In most factory environments, the work is brought to the welder. In the Seabees, the majority of the time the opposite is true. You will be called to the field for welding on buildings, earthmoving equipment, well drilling pipe, ship to shore fuel lines, pontoon cause- ways, and the list goes on. To accomplish these tasks, you have to become familiar with your equipment and be able to maintain it in the field. It would be impossible to give detailed maintenance information here because of the many different types of equipment found in the field; therefore, only the highlights will be covered.

WELDING MACHINE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

You should become familiar with the welding machine that you will be using. Study the manufacturer's literature and check with your senior petty officer or chief on the items that you do not understand. Machine setup involves selecting current type, polarity, and current settings. The current selection depends on the size and type of electrode used, position of the weld, and the properties of the base metal.

Cable size and connections are determined by the distance required to reach the work the size of the machine, and the amperage needed for the weld.

Operator maintenance depends on the type of welding machine used. Transformers and rectifiers require little maintenance compared to engine-driven welding machines. Transformer welders require only to be kept dry and a minimal amount of cleaning. Internal maintenance should only be done by electricians due to the possibilities of electrical shock Engine-driven machines require daily maintenance of the motors. Inmost places you will be required to fill out and turn in a daily inspection form called a "hard card" before starting the engine. This form is a list of items, such as oil level, water level, visible leaks, and other things, that affect the operation of the machine. Transportation departments are the ones who usually handle these forms.

After all of the above items have been checked, you are now ready to start welding.

SHIELDED-METAL ARC WELDING

Before you start to weld, ensure that you have all the required equipment and accessories. Listed below are some additional welding rules that should be followed.

Clear the welding area of all debris and clutter.

Do not use gloves or clothing that contains oil or grease.

Check that all wiring and cables are installed properly.

Ensure that the machine is grounded and dry.

Follow all manufacturer's directions on operating the welding machine.

Have on hand a protective screen to protect others in the welding area from FLASH bums.

Always keep fire-fighting equipment on hand.

Clean rust, scale, paint, or dirt from the joints that are to be welded.