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Welding Galvanized Steel Osha. SH21 Before I go into suitable filler metal I must bring up the safety concerns for welding galvanized material. When welding with a zinc-bearing base or filler metal OSHA requires employers to provide general or local exhaust ventilation systems.
Welding galvanized steel should always be done in well-ventilated locations to minimize fume inhalation. Most welders will at some point in their career perform a weld on galvanized steel and encounter galvanize poisoning or metal fume fever Galvanize poisoning is a short-term reaction to overexposure of zinc oxide 1. If galvanized steel is going to be welded without removing the coating its important to point out that the welding electrode composition should be checked to assure that the silicon content is very low because a high silicon content can cause zinc to penetrate the weld metal leading to cracking.
This adds two operations.
Corrosion resistance is a problem that is encountered when welding galvanized steel. Zinc the other common element in welding environments is a byproduct of welding steel with a galvanized coating and has an 8-hour TWA PEL of 5 mgm3 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The only thing to do about this is to re-galvanize after the weld is complete. Manufacturers and welders must identify the hazards associated with welding coated and uncoated steels and workers must be trained to maintain work practices within the Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA regulations.