Safe welding area?

[NSzig253]

Not sure if this goes here but I'm going to start welding soon and want to know if my garage is a safe place to weld and if not what should I do?

It's a wooden garage with a concrete floor and is roughly 7ft x 20ft, enough space to fit a Subaru forester with a bit of working room. My main concern is fire from welding sparks hitting the walls.

Any help would be great!

 

[shenion]

You can get welding blankets to cover the area near where your are working.

The sparks are not real bad except underneath where you are welding. Setting yourselfo or the insides of the car are usually more of a problem.

 

[Llama]

Do you have a workbench? Concrete can get nasty if you leave too much molten metal on it.

 

[chunkolini]

I have worked in a wooden building for the last five years.
I have a policy of nothing flammable lying on the floor.
Everything is moveable on wheels, I do any wood work in a space next door, rubbish bin lives next door.
I worked at home for couple of years and had a few near misses with smouldering rags etc.
be careful keep it tidy and when you finish have a mooch around checking that everything is as it should.
I did get lambasted here once for working in a wooden building and it being a fire hazard. I have to say rubbish to that, they some amazing fires in buildings made of concrete, it is usually the contents that go up first, keep flammables under control and you should be fine.
Keep any wire wool well stashed. Whats that sizzling noise? oh! the wire wool has picked up a grinding spark.
As said above try not to weld directly onto the floor, the concrete can crack and spit at you.
Also keep the corners free of debris etc.

 

[Wallace]

My workshop has a mix of brick and wooden walls with concrete floors. I try to cease any hot works at least half an hour before finishing for the day to firewatch and usually have a sweep round and tool tidy whilst doing so.

 

[FranV8]

Echo the hot work fire watch post work. And I think grinding is the biggest hazard, so don'tlet yyour guard down just because your session didn't involve any welding.

Bit square I know, but also unplug any electrical equipment not in use, just to be cautious.

 

[500e]

AS Wallace said
"My workshop has a mix of brick and wooden walls with concrete floors. I try to cease any hot works at least half an hour before finishing for the day to fire-watch and usually have a sweep round and tool tidy whilst doing so".
In the late 50s we had workshops with tiled walls & painted floors clean overalls every 2 days, this was when most garages were grease pits, it paid off for us, & we swept up 2\3 times a day any oil spill HAD to be cleaned up immediately no excuses. (everyone had to use the brush from apprentice to boss)
Housekeeping is important it should be a reflex action to clean\tidy up, tools away etc, shadow boards for tools, & a place for all larger tools, this will mitigate any claim
Remember if someone hurts themselves in your workshop you are liable.

 

[Hitch]

I have caught more stuff on fire from cutting and grinding than welding.d

Personally, i wouldn't be too concerned, but would echo the advise about keeping it clean and tidy. Not only is it safer, it also makes it a nicer place to work.

If you plan on doing welding at a bench, it may be a good idea to have an upstand, or sheet of thin steel fixed to the wall directly behind where grinding sparks are likely to be concentrated in one place. Avoid having a gap behind it where sparks can fall in and sit though if possible.


Have a fire extinguisher or two handy just in case.

I have a couple of them in my garage that cost nothing, try freecycle if you have it there.

 

[NSzig253]

Alright thanks for the help sounds like I should be fine without having to do a lot of changes!

 

[jonnyBMX]

as allready stated i always leave half hour after welding etc before i think about leaving the area un attended, just as a precuation you could also keep a fire extingisher handy,