Is it safe?

[undercut]

Any of you guys go to the effort of putting down plywood or rubber mats to stand on while welding?

[Winky]

It wont shock you if are not touching the grounded metal or ground. The flux provides insulation on the rod... but if it has a bad spot or is wet electricity can pass through it. So still wear gloves especially if you are on the grounded metal. The only way it will shock you if it finds a path to ground. Gloves will provide you with the insulation most of the time.

Just remember you are almost always standing or laying on the ground ... and if the ground is moist ... well ... need I say more? Any isolation helps so ... to make things simple ... wear your gloves; it helps. My first introduction to electricity happened in the mid 50's ... watching my dad shave w/ an early electric razor ... playing w/ an extension cord of that era I mimicked him and what does a toddler do w/ anything in his hands ... you got it ... in the mouth ... took me four decades to get over my fear of electricity ... now I play with 225 amps ... ooorah ... I win ... knock on wood. LOL!

[posixPilot]

Any of you guys go to the effort of putting down plywood or rubber mats to stand on while welding?

I usually put down a 2x4' sheet of 1/2" plywood if the ground is damp. I figure that increases my odds of not getting in the ground path.

[Rambozo]

"Ground" is something of a misnomer when it comes to welding and getting shocked. The circuit is between the electrode and the work lead. Neither of which are coupled to ground at the welding machine. Depending on what you are welding you might have coupled the work lead to ground, then you can have a path to ground. But you might very well be touching the metal that the work clamp is connected to so even if you are not "grounded" you can still receive a shock from the electrode. For example if you are welding on a car sitting on it's tires, the car will not be grounded. You can stand on an insulating mat and not be grounded as well. Yet leaning over a fender with a sweaty shirt you might have a real good connection to the work lead and be able to get a shock from the electrode. This kinda ties in to the thread on grounding your work table, and why it is generally not a good idea to do that. Welding is an independent circuit that can have AC, or DC in either polarity. In addition to all the variations of squarewaves, and in any frequency. Not to mention high frequency start current, which will find it's way to the work lead through what would normally be good insulators, such as clothes, gloves or even a good distance of air.

[undercut]

Just remember you are almost always standing or laying on the ground ... and if the ground is moist ... well ... need I say more? Any isolation helps so ... to make things simple ... wear your gloves; it helps. My first introduction to electricity happened in the mid 50's ... watching my dad shave w/ an early electric razor ... playing w/ an extension cord of that era I mimicked him and what does a toddler do w/ anything in his hands ... you got it ... in the mouth ... took me four decades to get over my fear of electricity ... now I play with 225 amps ... ooorah ... I win ... knock on wood. LOL!

My goodness, Winky! That's crazy.

Learned about why you shouldn't circumvent a three pronged plug and only use two of the blades when I was pretty young .... got shocked trying to use a metal cased drill. Pretty scary getting shocked when you are young.

I'll be pretty well covered up when I start welding. Will also try to keep whatever I'm welding isolated from the floor.

[everlastsupport]

The shock comes from a path to ground through you. With rubber shoes (no path to ground) you can change the ER without a problem. I still recommend dry gloves. With the right shoes with thread or leather (holding the bottom on) and some sweat and you can get zapped as well.

I would probably not use rubber or plywood as they can catch on fire, MIG worse change that TIG, flux core even worse. Rubber can melt and stick to you. Also, cotton or proper welding clothing is a must.

Man, starting to sound like Mark.

[posixPilot]

"Ground" is something of a misnomer when it comes to welding and getting shocked.

There is no misnomer in the way that I am using the term ... I'm referring to earth ground (i.e.dirt). The work piece ground that you are talking about is the "apparent" circuit; one that is easy to protect against. When I put an insulator on the ground, I'm protecting against the unknown circuit.

Electricity is much smarter than we give it credit for, as it can examine all possible paths back to the source. Hopefully that path is always back through the intended equipment, but other paths can exist. Undetected ground faults in the utility or site wiring are an example, or (as you pointed out) a place where the work ground and the earth ground intersect would be another example (e.g. welding a fence post). We talk about wearing insulated boots, but what happens when you kneel to weld something close to the ground?

Cheers
Mike

[everlastsupport]

We talk about wearing insulated boots, but what happens when you kneel to weld something close to the ground?

Very true. Knee on ground hand on pipe, clamp on the end. There will probably be a little zap there.

[Winky]

My goodness, Winky! That's crazy.

Learned about why you shouldn't circumvent a three pronged plug and only use two of the blades when I was pretty young .... got shocked trying to use a metal cased drill. Pretty scary getting shocked when you are young.

I'll be pretty well covered up when I start welding. Will also try to keep whatever I'm welding isolated from the floor.

I stand on rubber mats in my shop ... not only am I insulated but if I'm standing in one place very long the cushion under my tired old feet helps.

[undercut]

I would probably not use rubber or plywood as they can catch on fire, MIG worse change that TIG, flux core even worse. Rubber can melt and stick to you. Also, cotton or proper welding clothing is a must.

Woke up this morning and must have had welding on the brain ... thought about what I could use to stand on while welding and fire came to mind ....

I stand on rubber mats in my shop ... not only am I insulated but if I'm standing in one place very long the cushion under my tired old feet helps.

Amen to that. Standing all day on concrete takes a lot out of the legs. Those rubber mats help a lot more than I thought they would. Originally thought it was some kind of marketing gimmick ....

[Winky]

Woke up this morning and must have had welding on the brain ... thought about what I could use to stand on while welding and fire came to mind ....



Amen to that. Standing all day on concrete takes a lot out of the legs. Those rubber mats help a lot more than I thought they would. Originally thought it was some kind of marketing gimmick ....

I have two small mats one by my drill press and vice bench the other by my welding station ... haven't had a problem with melting or fire but I guess it could happen ... it's a hard compound of rubber that seems to be resistant to melting but maybe I'll move it over to my sheet metal station where my English wheel is ... makes sense that there could be a slight fire hazard.

[Rambozo]

I guess this turned into safety, anyway.
I know with transformer or generator welders there is isolation between the inputs and outputs that limits the shock hazard between some points. I am curious if inverter welders have this kind of isolation, or if different safety precautions are required?

Woke up this morning and must have had welding on the brain ... thought about what I could use to stand on while welding and fire came to mind ..

I try to avoid standing on fire whenever possible.