Welding Fume Standard Document Number: Applies To: RHS00003 Standard – Administrative Wood Buffalo Region Revision Date: 2017/12/22 Document Owner (Title): Manger, Regional IH & Revision: 1 Compliance Review Cycle: 3 years Summary of Changes Section Rev No. Revision Made Changed 1 New Document Scope This standard applies to all Suncor Energy Inc. Wood Buffalo Region employees, contractors, vendors and visitors and is part of Suncor’s EH&S management system. Purpose This standard is intended to ensure that all Suncor employees and contractors in the Wood Buffalo region (Suncor Oil Sands, In Situ, Fort Hills and East Tank Farm) engaged in any work that could potentially lead to welding fume exposure are fully knowledgeable of the correct procedures to be followed to achieve adequate protection. Compliance This document applies to work performed at Suncor Energy operating sites in the Wood Buffalo Region that includes Suncor Oil Sands, In Situ, Major Projects, Fort Hills and East Tank Farm. Roles and The following individuals and groups have the following roles and responsibilities: Responsibilities Document Owner • Ensures this document is reviewed according to the required revision cycle. • Ensures the document is updated to accommodate changes to Suncor, provincial, and federal regulation. • Ensures the document is updated to mitigate risks found as the result of an incident. Continued on next page WARNING - Uncontrolled when printed. The current revision of this document is available in ECMS. Approved By: Sheila Chernys, Director OS Enviro & Reg; Shamini Samuel, Manager, Regional IH & Compliance, Page 1 of 17 Subject: Welding Fume Standard Number: RHS00003 Rev: 1 Continued - Roles and Responsibilities Document Approver • Ensures this standard is necessary and that it aligns with management and company direction. Employee • Participates in Industrial Hygiene welding fume air monitoring assessments. • Participates in Air Purifying Respirator Training. • Dons appropriate RPE when required. • Complies with LMS0052A Respiratory Protection. • Informs Suncor’s Health & Wellness of the date or approximate date of a health assessment from a previous employer that occurred within the preceding 2 years. Supervisor • Ensures employees are given adequate time to participate in the Health Assessment Program (fit testing, audiometric testing, etc.). • Ensures employees are given adequate time to participate in the Industrial Hygiene air monitoring assessments. • Ensures employees are given adequate time to participate in the necessary training. • Ensures employees don adequate RPE when required. • Implements work practices to keep workers’ exposure as low as possible Contractor • To meet or exceed Suncor’s requirements to provide health assessment to their employees. • Provides fit testing to their employees. • Provides Air Purifying Respirator Training to their employees. • Conducts personal welding fume air monitoring on their employees. • Ensure employees don adequate RPE when required. • Implements work practices to keep workers’ exposure as low as possible. Business Area • Ensure workers undergo a health assessment every 2 years Management after the first health assessment, if assigned. • Pays costs (and travel) of the Health Assessment. • Ensures exposed employees meet the necessary training requirements Continued on next page WARNING - Uncontrolled when printed. The current revision of this document is available in ECMS. Approved By: Sheila Chernys, Director OS Enviro & Reg; Shamini Samuel, Manager, Regional IH & Compliance, Page 2 of 17 Subject: Welding Fume Standard Number: RHS00003 Rev: 1 Continued - Roles and Responsibilities Industrial Hygiene Performs air sampling for welding fumes on a regular basis. • Maintains list of jobs/tasks with potential for welding fume exposure and defines adequate RPE required for these jobs/tasks. • Communicates sampling results to affected employees and their supervisors in a timely manner. • Assists workers/supervisors and management in the selection of RPE and other control methods. Recommends work practices and other controls to keep workers’ exposure as low as possible. Health and Wellness • Performs health assessment for hazards related to welding (fit testing, audiometry testing) • Communicates results to affected employees in a timely manner. • Refers employees with abnormal results to Suncor’s Contract Physician, and facilitates referral to a family doctor for follow-up and ongoing care if necessary. • Advises Business Area of worker inability to don RPE. • Maintains medical records for a minimum of 30 years. References • Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code LMS0052A Respiratory Protection Standard LMS0061A Lead Exposure Control Standard LMS0078A Industrial Hygiene Program LMS0019A Erection, Identification and Removal of Flagging Standard Welding Health and Safety: A Field Guide for OEHS Professionals (Michael K. Harris, 2002) OSH Answers Fact Sheet Welding- Fumes and Gases (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, 2017) WARNING - Uncontrolled when printed. The current revision of this document is available in ECMS. Approved By: Sheila Chernys, Director OS Enviro & Reg; Shamini Samuel, Manager, Regional IH & Compliance, Page 3 of 17 Subject: Welding Fume Standard Number: RHS00003 Rev: 1 Terms, Definitions The following terms, definitions and acronyms are used in this standard: and Acronyms Base Metal The metal being welded or cut. Conjunctivitis (pink Inflammation and redness of the lining of the eye and eyelid. eye) Electrode Used to conduct current through a work piece to fuse two pieces together. Emphysema, A chronic respiratory condition due to inflation of the lung tissue (alveoli) in the lungs leading the decreased lung function and breathlessness. Siderosis A chronic respiratory condition due to inhalation of iron leading to restriction of the airways. Standard 1. Technical Information Item Description 1.1 Welding is a process for joining metals rendered liquid by heating, by pressure or both. The welding process generates significant quantities of gases and fumes. The fumes are a complex mixture of metals, particulates and metal oxides. The specific composition of the fume varies depending on the base metal, the welding method and the electrode. 1.2 In the Wood Buffalo Region, welding can be conducted in shops, and throughout the fixed plant areas and the mines. It can be conducted in welding shops, confined spaces or areas open to atmosphere. Stick Welding 1.3 Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) or stick welding is the most common weld process due to the simplicity of the equipment and process. It uses an electric current to form an electric arc between the electrode and the metals to be joined. The electrode and metals forms into a pool of molten metal known as the “weld pool” or “puddle” that cools to form a joint. Through the welding process the flux coating of the electrode disintegrates, giving off vapours that are a shielding gas to protect the weld from contaminates. Flux causes a lot of fume. TIG welding 1.4 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) or TIG welding uses an electric arc between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the metal to be welded. The weld is protected with a shielding gas such as argon or helium to protect the weld from atmospheric contaminates. TIG welding causes less fumes because it’s not covered with a flux. Continued on next page WARNING - Uncontrolled when printed. The current revision of this document is available in ECMS. Approved By: Sheila Chernys, Director OS Enviro & Reg; Shamini Samuel, Manager, Regional IH & Compliance, Page 4 of 17 Subject: Welding Fume Standard Number: RHS00003 Rev: 1 Continued Item Description 1.5 TIG welding allows for greater controls over the weld compared to stick and MIG welding and produces stronger, higher quality welds. MIG Welding 1.6 Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) or MIG welding is similar to TIG welding as it uses shielding gas to protect the weld from contaminates. It uses an electric arc to join the pieces and the electrode deposits into the welding area. 1.7 MIG welding is efficient, simple and less expensive than TIG welding. However, it produces more fumes, sparks and smoke during the welding process. Thermal Spray 1.8 Thermal spray welding (THSP) uses a hot/molten material from a torch, which is Welding applied to a substrate. The material delivered to the torch may be a wire, rod, cord or powder. 1.9 Thermal spray welding can efficiently provide a corrosion resistant coating over a large area. Plasma Cutting 1.10 Plasma cutting is used to cut materials such as steel, aluminium, brass and copper and is capable of cutting the material in varying thicknesses. 1.11 Plasma cutting uses a plasma arc at a high temperature (18,000 – 25,000 °C) to heat the metal to be cut. A high pressure gas is used to form a high velocity jet and removes the molten metal. Gouging 1.12 Gouging is process where heat generated between an electrode and the metal to be cut, causes the metal to melt. Compressed air displaces the molten metal. Base Metal and 1.13 Appendix 1 contains the common base metal and electrode used for the three Electrodes most common types of welding. 1.14 If a type of welding is conducted that is not listed contact Industrial Hygiene for information on the hazards. 2. Health Effects Item Description 2.1 The routes of exposure for welding fumes are the respiratory system, skin and eyes. Effects can be acute in nature meaning that the effects are experienced immediately or they can