New Welding Cart Improves Safety

An enhanced welding cart patented by the Vandenberg AFB Training Device Design and Engineering Center (TDDEC), which increases personnel safety, is now available commercially through Spika Welding & Manufacturing, Moccasin, Montana.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 15,500 welding accidents occurred nationwide from 1994 to 2001. Many of these accidents involved oxy- acetylene gas welding and cutting processes, which pose several safety hazards to technicians.

Oxy-acetylene cutting and welding sets are common in almost every industrial, construction, or maintenance shop in the world. Portable oxy- acetylene sets typically consist of a compressed gas bottle containing acetylene, stabilized with acetone and pressurized, along with one larger cylinder of industrial oxygen, compressed to 2500 psi.

The industry standard for storage and portability has remained unchanged for years, utilizing a two wheeled "tip-back" style cart, with the two gas cylinders chained to a simple deck. On top of these cylinders are the exposed valves and regulators, with twin rubber hoses connected to a mixing valve and torch tips.

The system is simple and inexpensive, but does little to minimize the various safety hazards inherent with the welding system and process.

Mishaps involving oxyacetylene gas-welding & cutting sets are often catastrophic and present significant hazards to personnel and aircraft/equipment in the area. If accidentally tipped or knocked over, a 175-pound pressurized oxygen cylinder with a broken regulator or valve can jet away at more than 30 miles an hour with enough force and velocity to penetrate block walls, with potential to travel distances greater than a half-mile.

In addition to these hazards, the "tip back" style cylinder carts used since the early 1900's can be dangerous because the weight of the cylinders makes them difficult to balance and awkward to maneuver. Cylinders are typically held loosely with chains to the frame, and are completely exposed to potential falling objects.

It is surprising that this primitive cart has remained the industry standard for storing and transporting oxy-acetylene welders for since compressed gas first came into use.

The 25 to 50 feet of exposed rubber hose presents yet more safety concerns. Not only a trip hazard when excess hose is strung across the work area, sparks, hot slag and cut metal pieces often burn through the flexible fuel supply, igniting the acetylene as it escapes the damaged hose.

"We are excited about adding the Gas Guardian welding cart to our product line," says Tom Spika, president of Spika Welding & Manufacturing. "While the daily use of the oxy systems is fairly minimal, practically every facility has one and needs it on occasion. The hazards that the Gas Guardian can minimize far outweigh the cost. When one considers the potential damage and injuries associated with the old style carts, its obvious it is not worth the risk. One sheared-off valve can do a million dollars worth of damage, or worse, take a life," he added.

The Gas Guardian comes complete with an industrial quality American-made cutting/welding kit, regulators, hose and self-recoiling hose reel, and high pressure supply lines that attach to the customer-supplied cylinders.