Sheet metal is a versatile material which is used in the manufacturing industry to construct roofing, car body parts and building fabrications, among other things. The most common way of joining pieces together is to weld them. The intense heat generated by the welding equipment melts a filler material, which then cools and joins and fuses the two pieces of sheet metal together. However, if you are planning to weld two pieces of sheet metal together, it is important that you take adequate protection.

The correct personal protection equipment

Before you begin to work on the sheet metal, it is important that you make sure you are kitted out with the right personal protection equipment. The kit includes:

• Eye protection
• Thick work gloves
• Hard hat
• Steel toe-capped boots

The eye protection will help to protect your eyes from the intense light produced when the welder is applied to the filler, which is holding the two pieces of sheet metal together. If you do not wear eye protection, you could cause permanent damage to your eyesight. The thick work gloves will help to protect your hands from any molten metal which is projected from the sheet metal as it is joined. The hard hat and steel toe-capped boots will help to protect your feet and head from the trauma which could be caused by falling sheet metal.

A suitable working environment

When working with sheet metal in your industrial unit, it is important that you find a suitable working environment. The area where the sheet metal welding takes place should be in an area of your workshop which is closed off from the rest of the plant. This will prevent people who are not wearing the correct eye protection from accidentally looking at the welder when it is in operation. You should also make sure that the area is dry and that there are no liquids which could transmit an electrical current on the floor resulting in an electrical shock. You should also remove any flammable material out of the area in which the welding will be taking place. Doing so will reduce the risk that a spark from the welder will cause a fire. You should have a fire extinguisher nearby when cutting sheet metal in case this occurs.

If you would like to find out more about cutting sheet metal as part of your manufacturing process, you should contact a sheet metal company today.