SAFETY SCENARIOS
You see a student welding in a hoodie made of polyester.
👉 What is the issue and what should they change?
Synthetic material = fire hazard → switch to cotton/leather
Your cut has rough edges and uneven drag lines.
👉 What is the most likely issue?
Travel speed or improper torch angle
A student’s weld has excessive spatter and a rough bead.
👉 What’s likely wrong?
Arc length too long or incorrect amperage
You see small holes throughout a weld bead.
👉 Identify the defect.
Porosity
You cut ten inches off a thirty-six inch piece.
👉 How much remains?
Twenty-six inches
A student cracks open an acetylene tank to 20 psi.
👉 What’s wrong and why?
Over 15 psi = unstable/explosive risk
The torch pops loudly and the flame goes out.
👉 What just happened?
Backfire
A student is using 7018 rods stored out in the open all week.
👉 What’s the issue?
Moisture contamination → hydrogen cracking risk
The edges of the weld are melted away below the base metal.
👉 What defect is this
Undercut
A weld requires one half inch material.
👉 What decimal is this?
0.5
A student starts welding and sparks are landing near cardboard boxes.
👉 What should be done immediately?
Stop work, remove combustibles, establish fire watch
Cuts are inconsistent and sputtering. You notice moisture in the airline.
👉 What’s the problem?
Contaminated air affecting plasma performance
The arc keeps wandering and is hard to control.
👉 What’s causing this?
Arc blow
A weld passes visual inspection but fails X-ray.
👉 What type of test found the issue?
Radiographic (NDT)
You need four pieces at 1'3/8" each.
👉 How much total material is required?
5 1/2'
66"
You walk into a booth and smell gas but don’t see a leak.
👉 What is your next step?
Shut down system and perform leak test (soap solution)
A student is cutting but the metal is melting instead of cutting cleanly.
👉 What’s likely wrong?
Not enough oxygen / incorrect cutting technique
The weld is sitting on top of the base metal without blending.
👉 What defect is this?
Lack of fusion or cold lap
Slag is trapped inside the weld between passes.
👉 What caused this?
Poor cleaning between passes / improper technique
A student reads a chart incorrectly and uses the wrong tip size.
👉 What is the result?
Poor cut quality (too much or too little heat)
A student is working in a confined space with proper PPE but begins to feel lightheaded after a few minutes of welding.
👉 What is the most likely cause AND what should be done immediately?
Poor ventilation / oxygen displacement → stop work immediately, exit the space, and improve ventilation or use proper respiratory protection.
During setup, a student skips the leak test to save time.
👉 Why is this dangerous beyond just “rules”?
Undetected leaks → fire/explosion hazard
A student increases voltage instead of amperage to fix penetration.
👉 What’s wrong with that thinking?
Amperage controls heat/penetration, not voltage
A weld cracks after cooling.
👉 Why is this a critical failure?
Structural failure risk—cracks are never acceptable
You must choose cable size based on amperage and distance.
👉 What chart are you using?
AWG cable chart