Overview
ISO/TR 18786:2014 - Health and safety in welding - Guidelines for risk assessment of welding fabrication activities - is a Technical Report from ISO (prepared by IIW Commission VIII) that provides practical guidance for assessing health and safety aspects of welding fabrication of metallic materials, including on‑site and repair work. It applies to arc welding, gas welding, and cutting and gouging processes as defined in ISO 4063 (excluding laser cutting process 84) and covers allied activities such as joint preparation and grinding. The document supplies hazard lists, potential harms and material damages, plus guidance on assessment procedures and preventive measures.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and applicability: Welding and allied processes (arc welding - process 1, gas welding - process 3, cutting/gouging - process 8) and associated activities (joint preparation, grinding).
- Risk assessment framework: Follows general risk management principles (referencing ISO 31000 and IEC 31010) - identify hazards, assess potential harm and likelihood, and implement controls to reduce probability and/or severity.
- Hazard identification tables: Comprehensive tables linking activities (welding processes, general activities, associated activities, and work environment) to hazards (fumes, optical radiation, hot metal, electrical currents, noise, vibration, projectiles, hazardous materials, confined spaces, etc.).
- Harm and damage mapping: Matrices that map hazards to likely health outcomes (lung disease, burns, eye injuries, hearing loss, musculoskeletal disorders, poisoning, cancer, drowning/diving risks) and material damage.
- Preventive measures: Annex A lists practical controls - ventilation/extraction, personal protective equipment (PPE), ergonomic measures, welding permits, fire sentries, signage, safe handling and storage, and specific process substitutions or engineering controls.
- Integration with management systems: Annex C guidance on embedding the risk assessment process within occupational health and safety management systems and the role of welding coordination personnel (per ISO 14731).
Practical applications and target users
ISO/TR 18786:2014 is useful for:
- Welding coordinators and safety officers conducting welding safety risk assessments
- Fabricators, contractors, and maintenance teams planning on‑site welding and repair
- HSE managers developing procedures for ventilation, PPE, permits, and confined space work
- Auditors and insurers assessing compliance with welding health and safety best practices
The report is intended as a tool to identify hazards, prioritize controls, and specify monitoring or checks for welding operations - it does not replace national or local legislation.
Related standards
- ISO 4063 - Nomenclature of welding and allied processes
- ISO 14731 - Welding coordination - Tasks and responsibilities
- ISO 31000 / IEC 31010 - Risk management principles and assessment techniques
- ISO/TR 25901 - Welding and related processes - Vocabulary
Keywords: ISO/TR 18786:2014, welding safety, risk assessment, welding fabrication, arc welding, gas welding, cutting and gouging, hazard identification, preventive measures, occupational health and safety.