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Learn about Welding Safety and Welding Arc Flash

When you are working with a welder there is always the potential for Arc Flash. Anything that you do that works with electricity can do this and it can be a deadly process. Arc flash can happen on a large or small scale, and depending on the welder’s safety precautions, it can cause severe burns or be deadly.

An Arc flash happens when there is a fault somewhere in an area where the welder is working. A quick and sudden amount of light energy and heat are released and if the welder is standing in the way, they can receive intense burns or the arc flash can be fatal.

This flash can also destroy equipment, cause eye problems and hurt people within a large radius from where it happened. In order to understand what this may look like, think about a large bolt of lightening that comes down and hits something on the prairie. This arc of light could explode the material that it hits upon and cause a lot of damage to that material.

This is basically what happens in an arc flash. This does not have to happen on a large scale only because you can also suffer from it when you are not using the correct safety equipment when you are welding.

The welder will expose themselves to UV rays that can hurt the surface of your cornea. Sometimes you don’t know that this has happened until your eyes begin to feel warm. You may not know it until the next day when you have pain in the eyes. This pain can feel as though you have fractured glass in your eyes.

When you are doing welding it is very important to use a welding lens shade that is at least a number 5 and should be worn within 20 feet of the welding that is being done. If you are standing within 10 feet then you should use a number 9 lens.

Normal arc flashes can also expose you to fumes and toxic gases so it is crucial to your survival to make sure you are in an area that is well ventilated when you are doing your work.

It is equally important to make sure that your equipment is functioning properly because often an arc flash is cased by faulty equipment. You will need to check enclosed systems also because these can cause a problem because some electrical equipment can become energized when it is faulty.

There are a variety of products that can help you resolve issues of arc flash as long as the equipment is working properly, but they only work if the welder will use them. You can get specially insulated gloves, rubber roll blankets (that allow you to isolate the area that you are working within) and carbonX clothing for protection.

Although arc flash can be deadly when it happens, knowing the safety precautions needed can help you get out of the way and be safer. It is wise to know the consequences of arc flash and how to prevent it as much as possible.

Go to Welder World to get your free ebook on Welding at Welding. Welder World also has Welder Forum, Welding Safety Blog and other information on Welding Information and daily news. You can Find Welding World at http://www.welderworld.com

Learn about Welding Safety and Welding Arc Flash / Author: William

Leather Interiors adds class to BMW’s and Audi’s

The German car manufacturers often seem to have a stranglehold on the luxury vehicle market. Many of the most popular “high end” luxury vehicles originate in Germany such as Porsche, Mercedes, Audi and BMW.

The German companies built their reputation on their very strong engineering skills, for decades German engineered cars dominated the quality engineering area of car making.

Porsche, Mercedes, and the other brands were so strong and reliable that people flocked to purchase these highest quality German engineered machines. Vauxhall in Birmingham produced identical vehicles that were manufactured in Germany with an Opel badge. Used Opel vehicles were very commonly selling for 50-60% more than their Midlands produced rivals purely because of the concept that they were better engineered and would be more reliable and last longer.

Also for decades this Germanic attention to the finer points of engine and gearbox design had a strange side effect, they paid virtually no attention whatsoever to the cars interiors, a basic Mini seemed to have a more refined interior design than a top of the range Porsche.

This trend became so ingrained that the poor interior design became a feature of German cars and was used to point out how they spent every ounce of thought on the cars engine and structure. Spartan car interiors seemed to be the only way that they knew how to build cars.

But like every aspect of modern motoring things have changed in the Rhineland’s motoring palaces, competition from other luxury rivals such as the Infinity models and the high end Japanese vehicles who were aimed squarely at the German luxury vehicles customers finally forced German manufacturers to look inside their vehicles.

Being perfectionists they considered every possible aspect of the interior design and over a period of a few years re-positioned the German luxury vehicles as both engineering marvels but also as incredibly well equipped vehicles with every possible interior extra and luxury imaginable.

They moved quickly from one extreme to the other, they added heated seating with complex adjustments of all kinds of lumbar support. The dashboards came alive with every conceivable instrument and onboard computing device. The whole interior would be redesigned from scratch to make the very most of the available space, so that endless luxury features could be added.

Once they had ever component built into the dash, centre consol and steering wheel, they turned their imagination to luxury features of eye pleasing design with BMW leather interiors setting the benchmark for luxury. Not to be outdone both Mercedes and Audi leather interiors surpassed their rivals in a tit for tat ever increasing luxury game in which the customer was the ultimate winner with stunning interior designs from all the luxury German manufacturers leading the high end market.

Darrell F writing about how to spruce up luxury cars with BMW leather interiors and Audi leather interiors. 

Leather Interiors adds class to BMW’s and Audi’s / Author: darrell.j.freeman@gmail.com

How to Select the Best Van for Your Business

With such a bewildering array of top quality vans and commercial vehicles available today how can a busy small business select the van that is best for them?

In recent years we’ve seen something of a revolution in the commercial vehicle sector with a multitude of new vans now available, each with impressive specifications. When selecting new vehicles for business making the wrong choice can be costly so where does anyone start when trying to choose the right van?

Start with what you need
While you may not be a ‘petrolhead’ and you may not know what ‘brake horse power’ is you do know your business and what it needs, both now and in the future. That is exactly where to start. Write a list of all the attributes that your new van must have. These will include answers to questions like:
How many people will it need to carry?
What cargo will it need to transport?
How big in size must the cargo space be?
Where will it need to go?
Who will be driving the van?

Answering these questions, along with a few of your own, you will have begun to define exactly what your new van must be capable of.

Price
One of the questions that you may have asked yourself is “How much can my business afford?” When considering expenditure on new vehicles for your business it is important to consider a few additional factors including:
Are you aiming to buy outright or will you take a loan for your new vehicle(s)?
Is van leasing or contract hire a cheaper, more suitable option?

Many small businesses, and private individuals, are finding that leasing or contract hire is a far more suitable option for a multitude of reasons. The big one is, of course, cost. If you change your vehicle every 1 to 4 years you are likely to find that leasing is actually cheaper. The fixed monthly payments make budgeting far simpler and the inclusion of maintenance and repairs in the lease contract alleviates many headaches. Another good reason to lease rather than buy is tax. If your business is registered for VAT then you can reclaim some of the tax you pay on your van lease contract.

Economy and Fuel
Now that you have determined what your business needs, what you can afford and the manner in which you want to secure your new vehicle its worth giving some consideration to the ongoing running costs and fuel economy. You may already have some figures derived from what you are currently paying for fuel. If you don’t its worth spending a little estimating the monthly mileage for the vehicle, add a little extra for safety. You can then roughly calculate how much the fuel is likely to cost each month.

Ask a Professional
So you now have a good idea of your requirements, how much you will be able to spend and the anticipated monthly mileage. Rather than wade through lots of van specifications why not take advantage of the expertise of those who want your business.

Approach at least three garages or leasing companies with your details and ask them to provide a list of suggested vehicles and deals that meet your requirements. You should find similar responses from them all. Look for the vehicle recommendations that are common to each of the garages.

Take a test drive
By now you will have managed to get some good ideas for vans that will meet your requirements and fit your budget and you haven’t yet looked at any detailed specifications. It’s now time to take a few test drives.

Having derived some suggestions from various garages these can be used as the basis for quotations and arranging test drives. Make sure that you take along someone who will actually be doing the driving as their feedback on the van, its handling, comfort and suitability will all influence your final decision.

Haggle
Hopefully you will now have a shortlist of vehicles, each of which would be ideally suited to your needs, your budget and your driver. The next thing to do is get the best deal you possibly can. When taking new vehicles on lease or contract hire it is always important to be certain that the contracts actually cover everything that you want. And when comparing costs between suppliers it is important to ensure that the contracts are actually identical as even small differences can result in significant differences in cost.

Don’t be afraid to haggle. Garages and contract hire firms acquire their vehicles in bulk and, by so doing, are provided with sometimes enormous discounts from their suppliers. To secure your custom they are often able to pass on some of this discount to you so don’t be afraid to ask for it.

Following this basic approach and focussing on the needs of your business you should be able to find the absolute best van for your requirements. Remember to start with what your business needs and finish with some haggling and you are bound to get a good deal.

By Tony Gee
For van leasing I recommend http://www.nationwidevehiclecontracts.co.uk/van_leasing.htm – Unbeatable car leasing and contract hire deals.

How to Select the Best Van for Your Business / Author: Tony Gee