ISO/TC 44/SC 9/WG 4 - Safety requirements for welding equipment

This document specifies two methods for establishing the minimum air volume flow rate. One method is dedicated for use with captor hoods, nozzles and slot nozzles with a ratio of slot length to hose diameter of 8:1 or less. The other method is dedicated for use with on-gun extraction devices. These methods are not applicable to down draught tables.

This document defines the general requirements for ventilation equipment used to capture and separate fumes generated by welding and allied processes, e.g. arc welding and thermal cutting. This document also specifies the test data to be marked on the capture devices. It applies to the design and manufacture of parts of the equipment including hoods for welding, ducting, filter units, air movers, systems that inform of unsafe operation and workplace practices to ensure safe working with regard to exposure. Significant hazards are listed in Clause 4. It does not cover electrical, mechanical and pneumatic hazards. This document is applicable to: — local exhaust ventilation systems (LEV) excluding draught tables; — mobile and stationary equipment; — separation equipment used for welding and allied processes; This document is not applicable to: — general ventilation, air make up or air movement systems; — air conditioning systems; — grinding dust. This document applies to systems designed and manufactured after its publication. NOTE Specific safety requirements for thermal cutting machines are defined in ISO 17916.

This document specifies a method for testing equipment for the separation of welding fume in order to determine whether its separation efficiency meets specified requirements. The method specified does not apply to testing of filter cartridges independent of the equipment in which they are intended to be used. This document applies to equipment that is manufactured after its publication. NOTE General ventilation systems are excluded from the Scope of ISO 21904-1.

ISO 21904-3:2018 defines a laboratory method for measuring the welding fume capture efficiency of on-torch extraction systems. The procedure only prescribes a methodology, leaving selection of the test parameters to the user, so that the effect of different variables can be evaluated. ISO 21904-3:2018 is applicable to integrated on-torch systems and to systems where a discrete extraction system is attached to the welding torch close to the arc area. The methodology is suitable for use with all continuous wire welding processes, all material types and all welding parameters. The method can be used to evaluate the effects of variables such as extraction flow rate, extract nozzle position, shielding gas flow rate, welding geometry, welding torch angle, fume emission rate, etc., on capture efficiency.

ISO 17916:2016 specifies the safety requirements and measures for machinery covering design, construction, production, transport, installation, operation, maintenance, and putting out of service. ISO 17916:2016 applies to machinery using thermal cutting and or marking processes such as oxy-fuel, plasma arc. This International Standard applies to machinery the basis of which is either designed as open gantry, cantilever machine, or the track of which is incorporated in the cutting table. ISO 17916:2016 does not cover design standards for specific tools, e.g. oxy-fuel hose standards, electrical requirements for plasma power supplies. Most tools used on thermal cutting machines have specific design standards. ISO 17916:2016 does not cover handheld cutting equipment and cutting equipment which is combined with a constrained tracking system mounted on the work piece. Risks arising from thermal cutting tools may be covered by related standards. Risks arising from laser radiation, except those caused by position indicating lasers, are not covered by this International Standard. Those risks are covered by ISO 11553. Machines that combine thermal processes with other processes (e.g. grinding, drilling, milling, etc.) are only partly covered. Risks arising from these other processes may be covered by related standards.

ISO 15012-4:2016 defines the general requirements for ventilation equipment used to control exposure to fumes generated by welding and allied processes. It applies to the design and manufacture of all parts of the equipment including hoods, ducting, filter units, air movers, systems that inform of unsafe operation and workplace practices to ensure safe working with regard to exposure. Significant hazards are listed in Clause 4. It does not cover electrical, mechanical and pneumatic hazards. ISO 15012-4:2016 is applicable to the following: - local exhaust ventilation systems (LEV); - mobile and stationary equipment. It is not applicable to the following: - general ventilation, air make up or air movement systems; - air conditioning systems; - separation of gases generated by or used by welding and allied processes; - LEV used for welding and allied processes that generate reactive potentially explosive particles and atmospheres; - grinding dust. ISO 15012-4:2016 applies to systems designed and manufactured after its publication.