Does it cover welding fume?

Yes. Extraction and respiratory protection are part of the numbered method, and welding fume is in the risk assessment and the COSHH assessment with the matching controls.

Does it cover the hot works permit?

Yes. The permit, clearing the area and the fire watch are steps in the method, and fire is in the risk assessment with the matching controls.

Does it cover welding in a confined space?

Yes, where the job description includes it. Lack of oxygen from shielding gases goes in the risk assessment, and HSE says entry should only be considered when there is no alternative.

Is this a welding RAMS template?

It is more than a template. You describe the job and the site, and the method statement and risk assessment are written for that work. You can edit the Word file before a competent person signs it off.

Will it be accepted on site?

It follows the HSE five steps and the CDM 2015 framing site managers expect. A competent person still has to review and sign it off before use.

Your first document is free. After that, £15 each, three for £35, or ten for £89. No subscription. You can read a full sample before you decide.

Welding RAMS: Method Statement Template & Example (UK)

What it covers

The sequence for preparing the area, setting up the welding set and the extraction, welding and inspecting the joints, then checking for fire after the last weld. It records the welding process, the fume controls, the hot works permit and how other people are kept away from the arc.

Welding method statement steps

Site welding on structural steel usually follows these steps.

Get the hot works permit. Agree the permit with the site, and check the area for anything that could catch fire.
Clear and protect the area. Move flammable material away, cover what cannot be moved, and keep a fire extinguisher at hand.
Check the equipment. Check the welding and return leads for damage, and for gas work the cylinders, hoses and flashback arrestors.
Set up fume extraction. Place the extraction hood or on-torch extraction close to the weld, and wear the respiratory protection the assessment names.
Screen the arc. Put up welding screens so nobody nearby is exposed to the arc.
Weld with the return close. Clamp the return lead close to the weld, and work from a dry platform or insulating mat where the area is wet.
Keep a fire watch. Watch the area during the work and after the last weld, for the time the permit sets.
Make safe. Close the cylinder valves, isolate the welding set and leave the area clear.

Welding fume

HSE says all welding fume can cause lung cancer, so controls must be in place. Welding fume is covered by the COSHH Regulations. Indoors, HSE says natural ventilation from open doors and windows is not enough, and local exhaust ventilation should be used where possible. Where extraction alone does not control the fume, workers must have suitable respiratory protection. Any welding outdoors needs suitable respiratory protection too. Tight-fitting masks need a face fit test.

Sources: HSE, Welding fume and protecting workers; HSE, Controlling the risks from welding

Fire, electric shock and gas cylinders

HSE warns that sparks and drips of metal and slag can travel a long way and start fires in nearby rooms. Clear flammable material first, and keep a fire watch during and after the work. Every arc welder using hand-held equipment is at risk of electric shock, so check the leads and clamp the return close to the weld. For gas welding and cutting, close the main cylinder valve when work stops, because acetylene is very explosive even in small amounts.

Source: HSE, Other safety risks from welding

Hazards and controls

Welding fume, controlled by cold joining or low-fume processes first, then extraction at the weld, then respiratory protection. Fire from sparks and spatter, controlled by the hot works permit, clearing the area and a fire watch. Electric shock, controlled by checked leads, a voltage-limiting device on MMA sets and a dry platform. Then arc eye and skin burns from UV, noise from arc welding, burns from hot metal, and lack of oxygen from shielding gases in a confined space. Controls follow the hierarchy, so removing or capturing the fume comes before PPE.

Competence and permits

Welding needs a competent welder, trained in the process used and in the fire precautions for hot work. Structural welds may also need a welder qualified to the welding procedure the job specifies. The method statement names the permit, the competence and how the welds are inspected, so a principal contractor can check it at a glance.

FAQ

Does it cover welding fume?: Yes. Extraction and respiratory protection are part of the numbered method, and welding fume is in the risk assessment and the COSHH assessment with the matching controls.
Does it cover the hot works permit?: Yes. The permit, clearing the area and the fire watch are steps in the method, and fire is in the risk assessment with the matching controls.
Does it cover welding in a confined space?: Yes, where the job description includes it. Lack of oxygen from shielding gases goes in the risk assessment, and HSE says entry should only be considered when there is no alternative.
Is this a welding RAMS template?: It is more than a template. You describe the job and the site, and the method statement and risk assessment are written for that work. You can edit the Word file before a competent person signs it off.
Will it be accepted on site?: It follows the HSE five steps and the CDM 2015 framing site managers expect. A competent person still has to review and sign it off before use.
What does it cost?: Your first document is free. After that, £15 each, three for £35, or ten for £89. No subscription. You can read a full sample before you decide.

A welding method statement that matches the work you're welding.