Support welding operations in engineering construction
Overview
This standard is about supporting welding operations in engineering construction.
You will need to be able to interpret and understand instructions in order to assist in the selection, transportation, positioning and setting up of the welding equipment and associated accessories whilst adhering to health and safety legislation, regulations and safe working practices.
In the context of this standard, your responsibility is limited to supporting the welder who completes the welding activities and working within clearly defined procedures and following instructions from trade/craft personnel. In some cases, you may still be expected to refer to others for final authorisations, even though you remain responsible for identifying and implementing decisions within the limits of your responsibility.
This standard is for
This standard is for those that are supporting activities in engineering construction.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work safely at all times, complying with health, safety, environmental and other legislation, regulations, guidelines and local rules and procedures
- ensure that the work environment, material, equipment and tools are suitably prepared for the activities to be undertaken
follow the relevant job instructions in association with the relevant welding procedure
obtain the correct welding equipment, ancillary equipment and consumables and ensure they are in good condition
safely handle, transport and connect equipment and ancillaries in the appropriate location
ensure the welding equipment and ancillaries are located in a safe location and operating correctly
on completion of welding activities, shut down and make sure the equipment is in a safe condition, ready for disconnection
safely handle, disconnect and store welding equipment, ancillaries and consumables
reinstate the work area
deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that have been and those that cannot be solved
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- relevant legislative, regulatory and local requirements or procedures and safe working practices including your responsibilities with regards to reporting lines and procedures
- preparation and reinstatement requirements in respect of the work area, material, and equipment, and the possible consequences of incorrect actions in these areas
- the common welding processes and equipment required
- basic requirements for pre and post weld treatments
- how to identify the range of gases required for specific processes
how to apply the related control procedures for the consumables required for specific processes to include:
- how to identify them
- what the different types are
- how to store, handling and disposal of them (before during and after use)
cable management and inspection procedures
- equipment handling methods and setting up required for specific processes
- tool and equipment control: the correct use of relevant tools and equipment and your individual responsibility for the use, care and security of those you use
- appropriate control procedures and the possible consequences of incorrect actions in these areas
Scope/range
Work environment
Typical work environments could include:
- engineering construction sites
- controlled operations
- offshore installations
- maintenance sites
- nuclear sites
- repair sites
Work environments may be open or restricted spaces:
- at height
- confined spaces
- control rooms
- controlled operational and offshore installations
- designated work areas
- explosive atmospheres
- existing plants and structures
- fabrication workshops
- in plant rooms
- inside structures, system and plant
- on access structures (scaffold)
- on open structures
- onshore and offshore installations
- potential explosive atmospheres
- shafts
- shipyards
- tunnels
Setting up
Typical setting up could include:
- transporting the welding power source and associated welding equipment and accessories to a suitable location
- making sure there is an electrical connection to power supply and output terminals
- connecting the gas supply where appropriate
- routing of welding and return cables from the power source to welding location via invertor
- connecting remote-control cabling and routing to the welding location
- installing of fire blankets/tent and screens as appropriate
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Common welding process
In the context of this function, common welding processes means processes widely used in the engineering construction industry such as; manual operated and includes Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and Flux core arc welding (FCAW).