Understanding Industrial Equipment

As a welder looking for new and challenging opportunities, joining an in-voyage maintenance crew is something you might want to consider. An in-voyage maintenance crew works on-board ships, and the team is tasked with carrying out maintenance services, such as welding. However, it is critical to understand that performing in-voyage welding is entirely different from the kind of welding that is done in conventional welding workshops. For instance, on-board welding needs to be conducted in compliance with existing maritime safety rules. This article highlights some essential precautions that an onboard welder must observe.

Avoid High-Frequency Machines — In workshops, welders can use welding machines with high frequencies (HF) to turn on the tungsten inert gas (TIG). However, you should avoid using such devices when welding inside a ship. This is because HF welding machines interfere with onboard radio equipment that relies on particular frequencies for communication purposes. Additionally, electronically controlled on-board equipment might also be affected by high-frequency welding machines. As an in-voyage welder, therefore, it is vital to use a TIG starting system that uses low voltage to avoid interfering with critical ship equipment.

Safely Clamp Return Cable — A common mistake that most welders make is an incorrect reference to the return cable as an 'earth' or 'ground.' Notably, the return cable on a welding machine is not equivalent to an 'earth.' However, since a return cable is less likely to cause an electrocution problem in a welding workshop on land, welders normally get away with the error. However, welding services inside a ship provide a different challenge. Since the return cable carries the same voltage as the welding cable, leaving it lying on a ship's floor or hanging it on a bulb iron will make the ship's hull live. Therefore, there is the risk of electrocution in such cases, since in-voyage crew normally works under wet conditions, and salty water is a good conductor of electricity. Therefore, make sure that you clamp the return cable as close to the welding area as possible to prevent the ship's hull from becoming live.

Confirm 'S' Mark on Welding Machine — Due to the nature of the environment you will find yourself working in as an in-voyage welder, it is important that you use the right welding machine without fail. The reason is that a ship's hull, confined spaces and the salty sea water environment exposes in-voyage welders to increased electric shock hazards. Most importantly, always use a welding machine that has the 'S' mark. Machines with the mark are suited explicitly for maritime environments.