Welding, Cutting & Compressed Gas
Protective Clothing
for Welding & Cutting
for Welding & Cutting
OSHA 1926.351(d) · ASTM F1506 · Flame-Resistant (FR) Clothing Required · No Synthetic Fabrics
A welder in polyester blend work pants and a cotton t-shirt is not properly protected — polyester melts and adheres to skin under welding spatter temperatures; cotton without FR treatment burns. The right clothing for welding and cutting operations on NYC construction sites is specific: flame-resistant, fully covering, and matched to the intensity of the operation.
What Welders Must Wear
- Welding jacket or sleeves: Leather or flame-resistant (FR) treated cotton. Must cover all exposed skin on the torso and arms. Leather provides the best spatter resistance; FR cotton provides better comfort for extended work
- Gloves: Leather welding gloves — heavy grain leather for heavy electrode welding, lighter leather for TIG. Do not use general-purpose work gloves
- Footwear: High-top leather boots with steel toes. Pants legs must cover the boot top — spatter that falls into a boot causes severe burns
- Head protection: Leather cap under welding helmet for overhead welding; ensures no skin is exposed around the helmet edges
What NOT to Wear
- Synthetic fabrics (polyester, nylon, rayon): they melt at welding temperatures and adhere to skin, turning a surface burn into a deep tissue injury
- Cuffed pants: cuffs collect spatter. Wear straight-leg pants with no cuffs and tuck pant legs over boot tops
- Rolled-up sleeves: even "just for one quick tack" — the first time spatter lands on exposed forearm skin is the last time you make that mistake
- Loose-fitting clothing that could contact the arc or catch fire from spatter
Overhead Welding — Extra Protection Required
- Overhead welding generates spatter falling directly onto the welder — full leather jacket required, not just FR cotton
- Leather skull cap under the helmet is required to protect the crown
- Other workers must be cleared from below the overhead weld zone — falling spatter at work temperature is a significant burn hazard
Discussion Questions
- Why can't you wear a polyester work shirt while welding, even for a short tack weld?
- Your work pants have cuffed bottoms. What is the hazard and how do you address it before welding?
- For overhead welding, what additional protective item is required that you might not need for flat position work?
- Name two clothing items that are required for welding operations on this site that are NOT standard construction PPE.
Sign-Off
Project Address
Date
Time
Foreman / Supervisor
SSM / SSC Name & License No.
Worker Attendance
| # | Worker Name (Print) | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 6 | ||
| 7 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 9 | ||
| 10 | ||
| 11 | ||
| 12 | ||
| 13 | ||
| 14 | ||
| 15 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 17 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 19 | ||
| 20 |