Whichever type of welding certification you choose to pursue, it’ll go a long way in allowing you to secure a great job in the field of welding. This includes positions such as underwater welding and welding engineering.

Read on to learn more about the different types of welding certifications and the importance of being certified in the field.

What Are Welding Certifications?

Welding certifications are proof of skill and proficiency in different welding types and processes. 

An aspiring welder must complete training and pass a qualification test to get certified.

A letter and number code signify a welder’s level of competence in each type of welding. For instance, a person can be certified as a “4-F” welder. This means that they’ve reached level 4 proficiency in fillet welding. 

Generally speaking, certification isn’t a must when pursuing a career as a welder. However, if you wish to get a job with a high-profile employer, this will probably require you to have a minimum level of welding certification.

Such certifications are typically issued and overseen by the American Welding Society (AWS) or the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Why Are Welding Certifications Important?

You may be wondering, is having a welding certification really that important? 

If you’re serious about a career in welding, the answer is most definitely yes.

First, going through the certification process is a valuable learning experience. It allows you to diversify your welding skills and be proficient in various welding types and processes.

This gives you a major competitive edge relative to welders that aren’t certified. It’s safe to say that an individual certified in shielded metal arc welding and resistance welding will have more doors open to them than someone who can only do gas welding.

In turn, the ceiling for the salary you can receive as a certified welder is considerably higher than that of a non-certified one.

Common Types of Welding Certifications

There are many types of welding certifications. They range from specific welding techniques to certifications for professions surrounding welding.

Here are some common ones:

1. Certified Welding Engineer

It’s safe to say that engineering is one of the most respected professions in our society. Becoming a certified welding engineer is one way to make your engineering degree even more valuable and potent.

This certification gives you all the tools and knowledge you need to become a proficient welder who produces high-quality work. It also expands your knowledge of the legal and financial aspects of the job. 

This comes in handy, especially if you wish to work on public and government projects.

2. Certified Welding Supervisor

A certification in welding supervision is another one you can pursue in the world of welding. 

Certified welding supervisors are in high demand in many aspects of the field, including construction and manufacturing.

As a welding supervisor, you’ll oversee a team of welders and ensure that the quality of the results they’re putting forth is up to par. 

You’ll also have the responsibility of managing the big picture aspects of the job. Specifically, you’ll be tasked with devising work practices that optimize efficiency and productivity.

3. Certified Welding Educator

Pursuing certification as a welding instructor is also a great way to go. This is especially true for those with extensive welding experience and cannot put it into practice for any reason.

A certified welding educator has the essential job of passing on valuable knowledge and tricks of the trade to aspiring welders. This is a huge responsibility since your proficiency in teaching your students will affect the quality of their work for years to come.

4. Certified Resistance Welding Technician

Certification in resistance welding is highly sought after for a reason. Resistance welding has a diverse set of applications in highly important industries, such as the automobile industry, appliance manufacturing industry, and sheet metal production.

Since this certification involves the practical application of a welding process, those looking to get certified must pass a qualification test. 

This test requires you to demonstrate your proficiency in various resistance welding processes. In addition to this, it assesses your degree of knowledge of the concepts involved in resistance welding.

5. Certified Underwater Welder

This is arguably the most exciting and financially rewarding certification in this guide.

However, it’s also one of the most intense and difficult to obtain. This is why there aren’t that many underwater welders out there. That, paired with the high demand for the position, makes employers willing to pay top dollar for the services of a certified underwater welder.

If you pursue this certification and succeed in getting it, you’ll get the chance to pair your diving and welding skills when working in shipyards and on military projects.

6. Certified Robot Arc Welder

Welding using a robotic arm has become increasingly in demand over the years. By getting a certification in this welding process, you’ll be at the forefront of the field when it comes to technology.

This certification will also get you up to speed with the codes and specifications involved when dealing with robot arc welding.

You should note that robot arc welding certification isn’t a one-time deal. Since this welding process is technology-intensive, you’re going to have to renew your certification every three years to stay up to date with the latest advancements.

7. Certified Radiographic Interpreter

Radiographic interpretation involves using complex processes to evaluate the quality of a welded joint.

Once you get certified as a radiographic interpreter, you’ll be tasked with reading reports from radiographic inspections to determine whether a joint has any defects.

Qualification Tests

After completing your certification program, you will have to pass a qualification test to seal the deal and receive your certificate.

Such tests involve a practical examination of your knowledge and skills. They require you to execute a certain weld type or procedure. Your performance is then judged based on the quality of the joint you’ve produced.

The testing board uses a variety of indicators to gauge your performance. Here are the most common ones:

Destructive Tests:

• Tensile Tests
• Nick Break
• Hardness Tests
• Bend Tests
• Micro Hardness

Non-Destructive Tests:

• Visual Inspection
• Dye Penetrant
• Mag Particle Inspection
• Ultrasound Inspection
• X-ray Inspection

Conclusion

Are you thinking of pursuing a career in welding? If you are, you need to know the types of welding certifications you can get.

Getting certified by the AWS or ASME is a great way to improve your prospects of getting a stable job in the welding field that can help you support yourself and your family.

There’s a wide variety of welding certifications you can go for. They range from ones that prove your proficiency in a certain welding process to ones that allow you to become a supervisor, inspector, or educator.

The post 7 Types of Welding Certifications appeared first on Beginner Welding Guide.

At the same time, it can be quite stressful if you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. Below are many basic facts and information about this field that can help you answer the question “is welding a good job?”

So, keep reading to find out if it’s right for you. We’ll also talk about some things you can expect when you finally embark on the adventure-filled career of being a welder.

Is Welding a Good Job?

Many people choose welding as their career path because it provides a steady income and comes with many benefits. At the same time, it doesn’t require a lot of high degrees or fancy diplomas.

Another major advantage is that almost every industry in the world relies on welders in one form or another. There’s no shortage of welding jobs around from construction and shipbuilding to aerospace and petrochemicals.

In other words, there’s a certain sense of security that comes with this job. It’s also an industry with plenty of room for everyone to rise the ranks.

There’s also a creative side to welding. It’s not just about joining pieces of metal together, it’s also about using innovative techniques to enhance structures, making them more functional and durable.

Benefits of a Welding Career

If you prefer working in various work environments, can handle all types of weather, and love a challenge, then this trade is for you!

Here are several more reasons why welding is such an amazing profession!

No College Degree Required

One of the perks of working as a basic welder is that you don’t need a college degree. You can find a decent-paying job straight out of high school or after getting a General Education Diploma (GED).

Other than that, you’ll find numerous options to attend a welding program or specific welding trade courses at your local community college or nearby welding schools. You can also sign up to become an apprentice and work under a master welder for about 3–4 years, which comes to about 6,000 to 8,000 hours of training. Then, after getting all the hands-on training you need, you can start looking for work in a specific field of your choosing.

Impressive Salary Ranges

We mentioned that welding pays rather handsomely. Even though you may not start making a six-figure salary immediately, it’s definitely something within your reach.

Another thing to consider is specialization. You can take courses and become certified in fields that are considered unique and out of the ordinary, like oil rig or underwater welding, or working with rare and exotic metals.

There’s a High Demand for Welders

Luckily, the world will never stop needing welders. Despite the general rise of automation, there will always be certain conditions and areas where robotic welding will be impossible.

This is one of the most fulfilling things about this trade and one that qualifies it to be categorized as a long-term career. Even if you switch the types of industries you work in, the trade itself will remain steady and strong.

Another benefit of this increased demand is that it offers many chances to work in different countries around the world. While that means leaving home for an extended period of time, the upside is it pays really well and you gain valuable skills in the meantime.

The exciting part is that you get to see and experience different parts of the globe. You’ll also get to meet interesting people along the way, which is an amazing opportunity in itself.

Welder Salaries

Here are a few numbers to put things in perspective. The median pay for a welder is roughly $43,000 per year, while the average hourly rate comes to about $21 per hour.

So, as long as you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you’ll be able to provide for your family and still have lots of opportunities to earn more. It also pays to seek out more fulfilling work positions, even work overseas because that’s when the opportunities become more lucrative.

 All these can drastically improve your chances of increasing your salary and making in the range of $100,000–$120,000 per year.

Career Types of Welders

Welding can be a great career choice if you easily get bored and can’t stand the mundane 9-to-5 work day. So, if you’re not afraid to work with your hands and get a little dirty in the process, then you might want to consider these welding careers.

• Fabricators and assemblers
• Sheet metal workers
• Machinists
• Pipefitters
• Plastic and metal machine workers
• Jewelers and precious stone workers

Industries that Welders Can Work In

There are plenty of opportunities within the welding field that can help you expand your skillsets and expertise. In addition, you get to work in industries that you enjoy, like robotics, industrial maintenance, or automobiles.

If not, you can still pursue your love of welding in some of the less demanding fields. Two common examples include working as a sheet metal welder or a pipefitter.

Another field worth exploring is the energy sector, which is constantly on the hunt for alternative sources of sustainable energy.

As a result, this industry has been transitioning towards more green-collar jobs to help keep up with rising demand while still being as eco-friendly as possible.

The silver lining is that no matter the type of energy source deployed, welding will always be a vital part of the manufacturing process.

Whichever field you decide to pursue, you can be happy knowing that job prospects for welding are strong and steady. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, welding is expected to increase by 3% over the next decade.

How to Learn Welding

Unfortunately, welding has a higher safety risk than many other jobs. For starters, there’s the heat factor to consider, as well as flying sparks and metal shards.

Not to mention that some welding jobs can be more dangerous than others. So, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the best-paying jobs on the market.

The silver lining is that today’s technological advances and high safety standards have significantly reduced the dangers of welding So, if you’re interested in learning how to start, read the tips below:

• The best way to learn this skill is by enrolling in courses at your local community college.
• You can also look for introductory welding classes online.
• Watch tutorial videos to learn basic techniques.
• Read books, articles, and blogs about the different types of welding.
• Speak to local welders about working as an apprentice under them.
• Buy an affordable welding machine and protective gear.
• Practice welding together scrap metal before trying your hand on a real project.

How to Build a Welding Career

This trade can be physically demanding even if you’re working in a shed or factory. Then, there are welding jobs where you need to get into tight spaces to work or climb to high elevations. These jobs require a lot of skill, experience, and physical ability.

That’s why getting the right education and certifications is so vital for your safety and the safety of others.

1. Research the different welding types and decide which feels right for you.
2. Decide if you want to pursue welding as a career, art form, or hobby.
3. Take welding courses and vocational programs to educate yourself further.
4. Take the American Welding Society Certified Welder test and get certified.
5. Start looking for jobs!
6. Keep expanding your skillsets through hands-on training, diplomas, and certifications.

Ways to Make Money from Welding at Home

Because welding is such a versatile industry, with the right planning and scheduling, you can have time to set up some work on the side. This can come in handy whenever you need to earn a bit of extra income, especially when you’re just starting out as a welder.

A few ideas to try are:

• Set up a small business doing welding projects for family, friends, and neighbors
• Work with precious metals, making jewellery and various accessories
• Create art projects using metal, plastic, or aluminum and sell them to the public
• Make various household items, like sign holders, trellises, fire pits, or TV trays, and sell them online

Conclusion

It may not be the cushiest or the most elegant of jobs. Yet, there’s certainly something appealing about this line of work.

From lucrative pay to long-term job opportunities, the benefits are plenty. For starters, you can travel the world and learn valuable skills. Plus, being a welder can earn you a prestigious position among tradesmen and women.

There’s also the more practical side, which includes a generous employment package with full dental, medical, and retirement benefits.

So, the next time you wonder, “Is welding a good job choice?” you can use the tips and data we’ve compiled to help you make the best decision.

The post Is Welding a Good Job? Career Salary and Benefits appeared first on Beginner Welding Guide.

In this article, thirty-nine different hobby and career welders chime in and describe what welding means to them.

Kelly Ann

I love welding, it’s an art form and a trade, it’s a skill I learned from my dad and it’s what I do for a living, I don’t always love going to work but after 20yrs of welding I never get tired of it, only 3-5% of welders here are female and I’m proud to be one of them.

Wes Imel

I got tired of cooking in restaurants and wanted a change. I now keep busy with side work and wouldn’t change it for the world. I get in a different mindset when I put my welding helmet on. Its therapeutic to me at th moment I’m making something, albeit a piece of art or a tool I will use later. Learning welding and fabrication have definitely changed my life for the better.

David Thomas

Welding for me is a form of therapy. In my home shop it helps to easy my mind by creating something from scrap metals. I become more focused while I’m doing that my mind seems to work on issues of the day. So it eases my mind. At work it gives me a sense of accomplishment because many times I have to take something broken and make it look as though it had never been. So a lot of building up of metal and reforming by hand.

Eric Lif

To have a welder makes life so much easier with all hobbies. Can now “Glue” any everyday steel and make awesome things for a fraction of the cost of “new.” One can make stuff that would cost a lot to get manufactured by someone else. For instance, I need a new gate for the country house. I will make one. It will save like $1000.
Welding makes life easier.

Benjamin Jermey-Brown

Its about earning respect.

Cristin Celedon

I originally went back to school for welding after a B.A. and a career in social work. I wasn’t happy with my job and felt the itch to finally pursue what I wanted. I wanted to have physical tangibles to show for all my hard work. In addition, I had a 4-year degree and could not find a job outside of my field. 

I originally wanted to learn to weld because I wanted to create metal artwork. It took over 2 years to get into the program but once I picked up an Oxyacetylene torch in my hands and the molten lava, sparks and spatter flew at my face like an encore firework spectacular, I couldn’t believe people got paid to play with these toys. I fell in love with every bit of process. My grandfather had passed 8 years ago, I went back to school 4 years ago and I am now a College Professor teaching Welding and doing what I love.

This was absolutely an intrinsic desire for me to accomplish a feat I was always too scared to pursue or kept myself from by continually second guessing myself and my abilities. I am now a certified welder by the AWS and am a testimony to following your dreams, no matter how late you started. I was also continually discouraged along my path my men and women suggesting I stick with casework or education. I am now stronger and more capable than I ever was and Welding helped me find my life’s purpose. I still work with the youth and know I was put here to help them further in the field I was meant to be in 10+ years ago if I had someone like me to learn from. 

Welding is absolutely therapy and I call it an Adrenaline Junkies playground, lol.
I love it all!

Paul Wilt 

After 35 years of welding for a living I do it for fun. Manipulating the steel to do want I Invision in my mind.

Mick Smith 

For me it’s a way to hold 2 or more pieces of steel together
But seriously welding is therapeutic for me
Some days it’s good others not so much.

Rick Wayne Medeiros

 Creation, it’s the God resemblance.

Peter Stewart

Welding is the easy bit, what I like most is what way I’m going to make something.

Terry Carter

For me welding is a hobby and relaxing to me. I can express myself with the different things I come up with. I make extra money doing welding for a lawn mower repair guy. And at the end of the day it is just fun!

Christy Goelzer-Rabitoy

You may find it funny, I can’t weld! Just like metal stuff, my father is a retired steelworker. I could watch my husband cut metal and weld all day long, he’s always made fun of me ( we’re farmers) because the smell of grinding, cutting, torch or welder is one of my favorite things. The smell of a welding shop just soothes me.

Jordan King

It makes you money or saves you money. This is the root of the issue.

Dan Walker

 It fixes my car with less impact on my wallet.

J.L. Lyons

Well, welding has done so much for me. It “sparked” my interest at a young age. I bought and paid for my first welder when I was 13. I was truly intrigued by the thought of building or fixing stuff. It started with me putting floorboards in a Chevelle then replacing rocker panels and cab corners in a truck and building bumpers for trucks.

It seemed like me and my dad always had a project going on. It was just a fun hobby for me thru my teens and I never thought It would lead me to where I am today. I struggled with school so bad that by my senior year I dropped out. With that being said I was never a troublemaker, never drank, never did drugs I just had trouble with my school work.

Bookwork never clicked with me. By the time I was 23, I found myself working dead-end jobs that barely paid the bills. I had a sweet girl that was in college. She seemed to have her life together and there I was delivering pizza. That’s when I heard of a local welding outfit that needed help. I thought what the heck I’ll give it a shot. To my surprise, I got the job.

13 years later I’m married to that sweet girl and I’m running my own welding and fabrication business. I’m able to donate money to the same school that I dropped out of. It goes to show that not everyone is book smart that you just have to find what you do well, what you enjoy, work hard and keep moving forward.

Michael Slattman

When I was a child my grandfather had a car shop seeing him turn old rusted out cars back to New it was art that started my love for metal working now 24 years later I weld at a shop where we Fab stuff for the military that’s what I do for my day .for my passion of all forms of metal I build all kinds of things at my house shop right now I am working on taking two cars and making a show car.

Juan Lopez

 It’s not only the welding part. To me creating scrap art it’s a big stress relief. It’s always fun to build something. Even though my shop consists on a dinosaur craftsman welder and a couple harbor freight angle grinders, I enjoy every minute of it.

Kevin Tharp 

Grandpa was a tig welder. I went to trade school in high school. I now repair welding machines for a living and weld things as a hobby. It keeps me from falling in the rut of same crap different day. Because when your welding its always different. And how bad*** is that you can melt metal and bond with the power in your hand. It also teaches patience. Also, a good way to burn off steam.

Chase Campbell

It’s a very undermined trade. People overlook it too often. They think of plumber electricians when they think of trades. They don’t realize how important welders are.

Levi McLemore 

Passion is how I’d describe it definitely more than just a paycheck it is a real job. I wake up excited for every morning

Kirk Hansen

Though I am not a professional welder and do not work in the trade at this time, it’s always been a skill I was glad to have learned and have enjoyed improving with the advent of new technology. I learned the trade at a young age while working on ranches and continued to hone it while working construction sites.

At some point, my love of art and the additive and subtractive qualities of metal and welding became the perfect outlet to allow me to create. Where else can you have the primal glow of molten hot metal, grind to reveal a sparkling surface in a cascade of sparks and paint that same metal with a rainbow of colors created by only heat? I find the entire process to be incredibly relaxing and invigorating all at the same time.

JC McKeown

 Welding is a means to an end, but so much more. As a metal artist, it allows me the freedom to create and be creative. It’s relaxing and yet intriguing at the same time. It allows me to redo tools to be made specific for new projects or to give unused items a new purpose. 
‘No such thing as Scrap in the Workplace, just endless possibilities of Form & Function ‘
Metal Mangler ArtWorks

Jeff Walker 

All of the above. I started doing my own steel gates to save a buck and off down the creative rabbit hole I go.….

Daniel Dreisbach

I started welding at about 21 years old and I am still welding now at 58. I first learned Mig welding at a street rod shop. Then, Tig welding at the next street rod shop. There, I started building some art also just for fun with 1/8″ material, all mild steel.

Then I when to an Indy car team where I learned a more precise version of TIG welding on thin materials like 4130, Stainless Steel, Inconel, Aluminum and Titanium. I also gained fabrication skills that lead me to create my nicest pieces of art.

The first piece I made using my best skills was not surprising, an Indy car (pictured) made of .040 to 1/8 4130 sheet metal. I have since made and sold many similar items, all unique. Additionally, I’ve built some other simpler to build designs as well as designs used for race trophies and various one of a kind awards.

Tig welding to me, regardless of being so useful and versatile. is therapeutic. When I am irritated or need to just think to figure a thing out, sometimes TIG welding is like taking a smart pill. I weld for a while and the answer comes or at least a path to the answer.

Timothy Dempsey

I have worked with many women welders and if they put their mind to it they make better welders than men. I worked with this little girl one time and she was the best Tig welder I have ever seen. I saw her do some stainless Tig welds that I didn’t think was possible.

Ellery Russell

I’ve been welding as an artist for the last 10 years. I started when doing photography for a re-claimed art group and was inspired by the imagination.

At first, welding was a means to an end and did take a bit of time to get the hang of stick and MIG, but now I find it very therapeutic. Being able to shut off my PTSD brain for a while and just focus on the next spot is a nice break from reality.

Spending 2 weeks straight working on a sculpture can be quite taxing on my body but is so worth it. This summer I was the only female welder at a sculpture symposium, it felt good to represent and inspire, but it would be great to see more women realize they could do it too. I wish art paid the bills, I could weld every day and be happy.

Stewart Mcculloch 

Hi, my name is Stew. I live in the UK. I used to work in a car repair shop but I started suffering from ill health. I became paralyzed and ended up in a wheelchair. Then ended up with more disabilities on top of that. Took me two years of hard work to be able to walk a few yards. Then, I had a fall and became paralyzed again.

My friends and family built me a little wooden hut. I still have all of my tools .started metal art, making animals from scrap. I give them to family and friends and keep some that I made for my wife. Every day is different health wise. I just want you to understand how much I enjoy welding, working, turning rusty metal into something nice. Using my old welder and making my animals is a lifeline for me. It’s what keeps me going in life.

Ryan Wiesman

I don’t really find welding that fun. It’s a means to an end and most days it’s the smallest portion of what I do. I build railings and staircases (spiral or straight) and all types of home decor and I love what comes from all the hard work including the welding portion.

Timothy Dempsey 

My father convinced me to take welding in high school when you could still do that. I got a job in a sheet metal and welding plant and done that for 27 years. Retired and started doing metal Sculptures and art for fun.

There was time on the job when I thought I would go crazy if I had to weld another day but it really paid off MIG welding small sculptures. I was an oil painter all my life before I started metal art. I love working with metal art much more than painting. I’m having a blast.

Todd Lehman

Working with metal has been my life. I started welding when I was 10 years old on our family ranch with my Dad. We had a Forney ac buzz box. In fact, I still have it today. In college, I discovered I had a gift for metal art and that’s when my passion for metal and welding really blossomed. Metal is amazing and I can’t ever see myself working with anything else.

Eric Doran

Therapy, exploration, meditation is what welding, designing, building, blacksmithing provide me. Sure, I make some money. But the process demands that the welder is focused in the now. And, being present allows one to not fret over the past or stress over the future.

Daniel Trowbridge

For me, it is the one “hands-on” trade/ skill that I could still learn and do after my spinal cord injury 6 years ago. I was a plumber by trade and have always been hands-on but trying to find work since has been impossible as I cannot and will not get an office job behind a desk answering phones etc that’s just not me, so I so badly want to learn to weld.

If I can learn the skill it would enable me to be able to work from home the hours that suit me and if/ when I have injury-related issues hit me I would simply be able to take whatever time I need off to recover. I am simply too unreliable to work for someone full time as there is never ending issues related. I hope to begin some welding courses soon I hope.

Neil Doman

It’s enjoyable at times but ultimately it’s a means to an end.

Guin John Ryan

Welding can be just you’re job.. but it’s much more than that, being creative.. you can reach your goal.either threw art, or simply building something, you have improved, changed or designed, by your self.

Patrick Malin

It was one of the first trades I learned when I was 13 from my grandfather. Next year will be 20 years of welding. Since the passing of my grandfather, welding has become something that always reminds me of him especially while I’m welding. 
Welding has become apart of me. Even after a 12 hr shift of welding, I find myself in my shop at home welding. I love welding.

James Bent

I love it, love being a creative soul, and helping people save money from high rates in my town

Randy Gloden I know I’m a bit late to the game, but I wanted to reply as I think this poses an interesting question requiring some introspection:  

For me practical welding is work, and though I enjoy that work, I really look forward to sitting down and just honing my technique for Tig or oxy/acetylene welding. The oxy/acetylene isn’t the most practical I know, but man, playing with fire and manipulating the puddles in that way, that for me is both exciting and challenging. That probably explains why I like TIG as well.

Like many hobbies, there is a certain focus and practice involved to do well. I suspect I’ll never master this completely, which is good, because learning is part of what draws me in.  

That said, though less fun, on my “real” projects I tend to stick weld, as that is where my confidence and productivity is.

Melania Johnson

My dad use to weld. I am the outcast of the family. I ran track for 9 years. In college, I was head of the hurdlers. My field of choice was accounting. That was so boring. I am now a welder.

Jacob Heni 

Welding helps you express your own creativity and ideas.

Roger Lollar

I, the humble host of this website, struck my first arc at age fourteen. I was working under the tutelage of a seasoned machine shop owner in the evenings after school. A couple of years later I took all the welding courses available in high school.

Later, I even worked as an oil field welder’s helper for a short period. My career eventually took me in a different direction. However, I have not been without at least one welding machine for the last thirty-two years. As a matter of fact, I still own the very first machine I ever purchased. And, I still use it frequently.

While not an expert, over the years I have built carports, barns, shops, ranch gates and entrances, roping arenas, livestock pens, horse stalls, race car cages, grill guards, workout benches, truck bumpers, trailers, and miscellaneous artwork. (In a sense, all welding is artwork, IMHO!) And to my knowledge, they are all still in use!

Read More

• Is Welding Hard
• 101 Welding Tips for Beginners
• Equipment Needed to Start Welding

The post Welding as a Hobby: 39 Hobbyist Ideas appeared first on Beginner Welding Guide.

The intent of this article is not to scare you (well, maybe a little), but to inform you. As you are well aware, lawsuits are real and happen every day. Despite this, people purchase private property every day. They do this knowing full well a stranger only need walk onto their new property, then consequently stumble and fall easily inviting a lawsuit. The point is, no one would ever build anything if our sole focus were on being sued.

Unlike hobby welders, independent welders and owners of welding shops have a lot to be responsible for. They must provide great welding services at a reasonable price. And, be able to turn out products or repairs within a reasonable amount of time. Their employees must be well trained and in some cases, they must be certified. In addition, a prudent independent welder or shop owner knows their business assets need to be protected. And one way they do this comes in the form of liability insurance.

Are there circumstances under which a hobby welder could be sued?

Of course, anyone can sue you for just about any reason these days. That doesn’t mean they have a chance of prevailing. Unless the case actually has merit. However, as a defendant, you must defend yourself from all lawsuits. This usually entails retaining the services of an attorney. In other words, it will cost you financially no matter if you win or lose the case. The unknown is, how much is it going to cost you?

What are the potential circumstances I need to consider?

If the projects you work on will never leave your property and will never be used by anyone but you, you probably don’t have much to be concerned about.

 As with installations, creations or repairs of any type, if it fails in some manner and a person or people are injured, a liability claim from the injured party or parties is almost to be expected. The same can be said even if only property is damaged.

As a hobby welder, you still need to manage potential risks. First, identify when your projects may impact the public negatively. That is, if the project or repair of a piece of equipment you worked on, were to fail.

What if something I build or repair breaks and injures or kills someone?

A prudent person will reduce their exposure to liability claims through risk management. So, what exactly is risk management?

In layman’s terms, one form of risk management might be considered simply as calculating the odds. So ask yourself questions. Questions like, What if that trailer hitch I repaired or built breaks while being pulled 70 mph down a busy interstate? Or, what if the spare tire rack I built on the back of my buddy’s 4×4 breaks causing the tire to fall off and go through the windshield of the following vehicle?

If the material used is adequate, the design is good and the quality of the welds are good the chances for failure are probably low. Notice that I did not say the chances of failure are zero. Having said that, if your work fails in some way, what are the chances of it happening at a time when it could potentially impact the public?

Everything we do in life has risks. What we do to minimize those risks is another form of risk management.

Welding-liability Claims

What would happen if an affected person sues you in Court for negligence, claiming damages? Independent welding shops developing and marketing their own products are widely exposed to welding-liability lawsuits. If that shoe fits you as a hobby welder, please consider the risks involved. Be exceedingly cautious with items used for lifting and for transportation.

Unexpectedly, production items from big manufacturers can and do occasionally fail. Even if the likeliness of occurrence is one in a million the business must consider that possibility. Because the plaintiff’s actions will be based on making the manufacturer responsible for whatever damages stem from that one-in-a-million failure.

Welding-liability trials can be exceptionally expensive and are brought to the Courts by the plaintiffs. Their intent is to evaluate the manufacturer’s culpability of a defective device, suspected of having caused an accident.

Records indicate that Courts judging manufacturing and welding liability cases can be extremely harsh when considering complaints.

How do I protect myself?

It is safe to say that no one can be fully protected against liability lawsuits. Time spent focusing on where the biggest exposures are is the best place to start. Let’s begin by asking and answering a couple of questions pertaining to projects that could impact the public if they were to fail in some way.

Do I:

1. have the proper amount of training and experience to tackle this project?
2. possess the right equipment to do the job adequately?

You should not do the job if the answer is no to either of the above questions. If the answer to both is yes, let’s ask a few more questions.

What if:

1. the item or implement was to fail, what is the most harm it could do and what are the odds of this happening?
2. the item or implement was to fail, what is the least amount of harm it could do and what are the odds of this happening?

Depending on the odds calculated for each question, you may want to either:

1. forgo the project
2. proceed with an abundance of caution after purchasing some liability insurance
3. do the project with a high degree of confidence that nothing negative will happen.

Feel comfortable that there are many circumstances when the last answer is correct. Again, I am not an attorney and you should always seek professional advice regarding protecting you and your family. 

What do big manufacturing businesses do to protect themselves?

Each business will have its own unique plan. Some of the potential plans might first incorporate designing a particular course of action and then implementing that course of action to a tee.

The course of action might include:

• seeking the advice of specialists to assist in capturing all precautions necessary to minimize legal action for negligence.
• checking for applicable code requirements for the manufactured item with the assistance of a lawyer with experience in technical matters and possibly an engineer. Their conclusions should be documented and signed.
• involving a Certified Professional Engineer to sign off on all calculations, drawings, materials, and processes.
• documenting the manufacturing process, materials used and the welding process.
• performing and documenting initial tests of the product and ongoing quality control procedures.
• sending a sample of the finished product to Underwriters Laboratories to have it officially approved. While expensive, the advertising advantage of an independently qualified endorsement may be worth it.
• writing instructions for the end user, using plain words describing the scope of its function and the correct way to use it.
• attaching a plate in a place easy to see, warning of the limits of the item’s construction. Such as maximum load ratings.
• seeking comprehensive insurance to protect against liability claims.
• hiring an external agency to audit the product and the production processes regularly.

Always seek professional advice, stay safe and Marry some metal today!

The post Hobby Welding Legal Liabilities Explained appeared first on Beginner Welding Guide.