Arc welding and cutting

A manual electrode holder must be designed for arc welding/cutting and be able to safely handle the maximum rated current required by the electrodes used. Employers must use only holders that are specifically designed for arc welding and cutting and whose current capacity matches the electrodes' maximum rated current per 1915.56(a)(1).

All current-carrying parts that pass through the portion of the holder gripped by the welder, and the outer surfaces of the jaws, must be fully insulated against the maximum voltage to ground encountered. That means the hand grip and jaw surfaces must provide full insulation for the highest voltage that could be present, according to 1915.56(a)(2).

Arc welding and cutting cables must be completely insulated, flexible, and sized to handle the maximum current needed for the work considering the operator's duty cycle. In practice that means selecting flexible, fully insulated cable with an ampacity sufficient for the welding equipment and the work duty, per 1915.56(b)(1).

Cables must be free of repairs or splices for at least 10 feet from the cable end connected to the electrode holder, except you may use cables with standard insulated connectors or splices whose insulating quality equals that of the cable. The exception is only when the connector or splice provides equivalent insulation, as stated in 1915.56(b)(2).

When you splice or connect cable lengths, you must use substantial insulated connectors with at least the same current capacity as the cable; if you use cable lugs they must be securely fastened for good electrical contact and the exposed metal parts completely insulated. Follow these connector requirements in 1915.56(b)(3).

You must not use cables in poor repair; if a cable (other than the 10-foot lead to the holder) is worn so bare conductors are exposed, protect the exposed area with rubber and friction tape or other equivalent insulation. Damaged cable must be repaired or replaced to meet 1915.56(b)(4).

A ground return cable must have a safe current-carrying capacity equal to or greater than the unit's specified maximum output; if one ground cable serves multiple units, its capacity must equal or exceed the combined maximum outputs of all units it serves, per 1915.56(c)(1).

You may use structures or pipelines (except those carrying flammable gases/liquids or electrical conduits) as part of the ground return if they have the required current capacity, all joints have electrical contact, they do not generate arcs/sparks/heat at joints, and if used continuously, all joints must be bonded and periodically inspected for electrolysis or fire hazards, per 1915.56(c)(2), 1915.56(c)(3), and 1915.56(c)(4).

If an arc, sparks, or heat are generated at any joint, you must reject that structure or pipeline as a ground return and not use it; also all ground connections must be inspected to ensure mechanical strength and electrical adequacy for the required current, per 1915.56(c)(3) and 1915.56(c)(6).

All machine frames must be grounded either through a third wire in the cable containing the circuit conductor or through a separate wire grounded at the power source, and grounding circuits (other than the vessel structure) must be checked to ensure the resistance between ground and the grounded power conductor is low enough that the fuse or breaker will interrupt the current, as required by 1915.56(c)(5).

When electrode holders are left unattended you must remove the electrodes and place or protect the holders so they cannot make electrical contact with employees or conducting objects. This prevents accidental shocks or stray arcs as required by 1915.56(d)(1).

Hot electrode holders must not be dipped in water because doing so can expose the welder or cutter to electric shock. The rule explicitly prohibits dipping hot holders in water to prevent this hazard, per 1915.56(d)(2).

When an operator leaves work for an appreciable length of time or when the welding/cutting machine is to be moved, the power supply switch to the equipment must be opened. That means turn off the power before leaving or moving equipment, per 1915.56(d)(3).

Any faulty or defective equipment must be reported to the supervisor. Employers must ensure employees know to report defects so repairs or replacements can be made, as required by 1915.56(d)(4).

Whenever practicable, arc welding and cutting operations must be shielded by noncombustible or flame‑proof screens that protect nearby employees from the direct rays of the arc. Use appropriate noncombustible or flame‑proof screens to reduce radiation and flying hazards per 1915.56(e).

No — ordinary sunlight is not considered the “potentially injurious light radiation” the welding eye‑protection rules address; that phrase means intense radiation from sources like electric arc welding and torch cutting. OSHA explained that the term refers to intense radiant energy produced by welding and cutting, not sunlight, in the shipyard eye‑protection interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2019-12-30 (see that letter for details). You should still use appropriate welding shields and filters to protect against arc radiation as referenced in 1915.56(e).

Yes — employers generally must provide required personal protective equipment at no cost to employees, including PPE used for welding in shipyards, unless a specific exception applies. OSHA clarified employer payment obligations in its PPE payment guidance at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2014-11-13 and the payment rule applies to Part 1915 shipyard standards; ensure welding PPE requirements in 1915.56(e) are met and provided by the employer when required.

Yes — a competent person in shipyard employment may recognize and evaluate hazardous exposures and specify necessary protection when OSHA PELs do not exist or when exposures present serious hazards; however, for Subpart D (welding, cutting, heating) the competent person must meet the additional requirements of [29 CFR 1915.7]. OSHA explains these responsibilities in its letter of interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2016-04-18 and employers must ensure the competent person can specify needed protections for welding operations covered by 1915.56.

The standard requires periodic inspections but does not specify a numeric interval; you must conduct inspections often enough to ensure no condition of electrolysis or fire hazard exists, and a competent person should set the inspection frequency based on use and risk, as required by 1915.56(c)(4) and consistent with the competent person guidance at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2016-04-18.

No — pipelines containing flammable gases or liquids, or conduits containing electrical circuits, may not be used as part of the ground return circuit. Only structures or pipeline systems that do not carry those hazards and that meet current capacity requirements may be used, per 1915.56(c)(2).

If a single ground return cable services more than one unit, its safe current‑carrying capacity must equal or exceed the total specified maximum output capacities of all the units it serves, as required by 1915.56(c)(1).

You must stop using that structure or pipeline as a ground return — the generation of an arc, sparks, or heat at any point causes rejection of the structure as a ground circuit, per 1915.56(c)(3).

No — when electrode holders are left unattended you must remove the electrodes and place or protect the holders so they cannot make electrical contact with employees or conducting objects; leaving a hot holder where it can touch metal or other conductors would violate 1915.56(d)(1).

If a cable (other than the 10‑foot lead to the holder) becomes worn and exposes bare conductors, the exposed portion must be protected with rubber and friction tape or other equivalent insulation; more substantial repairs or replacement are required if the cable condition is unsafe, per 1915.56(b)(4).

Employers must check grounding circuits to ensure the resistance between the ground and the grounded power conductor is low enough to permit sufficient current to flow so the fuse or circuit breaker will interrupt the current; that means performing electrical continuity/resistance checks or equivalent testing to verify the circuit will trip properly under fault conditions, as required by 1915.56(c)(5).