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Safety & Personal Protective Equipment Flashcards

7 cards from real AWS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Safety & Personal Protective Equipment flashcards as text

  1. A welder must weld inside a steel tank that previously held a petroleum product. What is the FIRST step before beginning work?

    Answer: Test the atmosphere for flammable vapors and obtain a hot work permit

    Atmospheric testing for flammable, toxic, and oxygen-deficient conditions, plus a hot work permit, are mandatory before any ignition source enters a space that held combustibles.

  2. Which type of hearing protection is generally recommended for welders working near plasma cutting operations?

    Answer: Disposable foam earplugs rated NRR 29 or higher

    Plasma cutting generates noise levels well above 90 dB; high NRR disposable foam earplugs provide substantial attenuation and are practical in metal fabrication environments.

  3. What is the recommended maximum safe no-load voltage for AC welding machines used in damp or confined spaces?

    Answer: 42 volts

    AWS and safety standards recommend voltage-reducing devices (VRDs) that keep no-load voltage at or below 42 volts in wet or confined environments to minimize electrocution risk.

  4. Which hazardous gas is produced when welding in areas contaminated with chlorinated solvent vapors (e.g., from degreasing agents)?

    Answer: Phosgene (COCl₂)

    UV radiation from the arc reacts with chlorinated hydrocarbons to form phosgene, an extremely toxic gas that can cause fatal pulmonary edema.

  5. A leather welding jacket is damaged with a hole in the forearm area. What is the correct action?

    Answer: Retire the jacket and replace it with an undamaged one

    Damaged PPE no longer provides reliable protection against spatter, UV radiation, and burns; compromised protective clothing must be replaced, not repaired with workarounds.

  6. When storing compressed gas cylinders in a welding shop, how should full and empty cylinders be managed?

    Answer: Store full and empty separately, with empties having caps secured and valves closed

    Separating full from empty cylinders prevents confusion, and even 'empty' cylinders retain residual pressure requiring valve closure and cap protection.

  7. What is the minimum safe working distance from a welding arc for unprotected bystanders without any shielding in place?

    Answer: 25 feet (7.6 m)

    Unprotected bystanders must remain at least 25 feet from the arc or be shielded by welding screens to prevent arc eye and UV skin burns.