Welding, Cutting & Brazing Safety Program — OSHA Subpart Q Compliant
The written welding safety program required wherever welding, cutting, brazing, or soldering is performed. Covers personnel qualifications, equipment inspection, fume control, fire prevention (cross-references Hot Work Permit), and welding-specific PPE.
When this template is required
Required wherever welding, cutting, brazing, or soldering operations are performed. Subpart Q covers general industry; 1926 Subpart J covers construction. Both require written procedures covering personnel qualifications, equipment safety, ventilation, fire prevention, and PPE specific to welding hazards.
Why this template
Both 1910 Subpart Q AND 1926 Subpart J
Most templates cover only general industry. This one covers both with the construction differences clearly marked — important for contractors who do shop work AND field welding.
Hex chrome (Cr(VI)) trigger procedure
Welding stainless steel can generate Cr(VI) above the OSHA PEL of 5 µg/m³ — triggering a full Cr(VI) compliance plan. The program includes the trigger procedure so you know when to escalate.
Manganese exposure addressed
Welding fume contains manganese; chronic exposure linked to neurological effects. OSHA hasn't set a separate Mn standard but NIOSH REL is 1 mg/m³. The program covers ventilation and respiratory protection to keep exposure low.
Cross-references Hot Work Permit family
Welding outside a designated hot-work area requires a permit. The program references the Hot Work Permit Template family for the per-job permit process.
What you receive
- Welding/Cutting/Brazing Safety Program (Word .docx)
- Welder qualification and certification record (AWS / ASME crosswalk)
- Equipment inspection checklist (oxyfuel, arc, MIG, TIG, plasma)
- Ventilation and fume extraction procedure (1910.252(c))
- PPE selection matrix specific to welding (shade #, leathers, respirators)
- Fire prevention procedure (cross-references Hot Work Permit)
- Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) trigger procedure for stainless welding
- Manganese exposure procedure (welding fume)
- Training documentation matrix
How you get it
This document is written and reviewed against the standard it cites, and it is ready now. The download link is emailed as soon as your payment clears.
Revisions included — if something about your operation changes what the document should say, reply to the delivery email and we will amend it.
Who buys this
- Welding shops and fabrication facilities
- Construction GCs and structural steel contractors
- Pipe fitters and mechanical contractors
- Maintenance teams performing welding repairs
- Marine and shipyard welding (with USCG overlap)
- Automotive repair facilities
Frequently asked
What's the OSHA welding standard?
Two parallel standards. General industry: 29 CFR 1910 Subpart Q (1910.251 definitions; 1910.252 general requirements; 1910.253 oxy-fuel; 1910.254 arc welding; 1910.255 resistance welding). Construction: 29 CFR 1926 Subpart J (1926.350 oxy-fuel; 1926.351 arc; 1926.352 fire prevention; 1926.353 ventilation; 1926.354 special work). The two are similar but have different scope rules.
Do welders need certification?
OSHA itself doesn't require welder certification — it requires the welder to be 'qualified.' AWS D1.1 (structural welding) and ASME BPV Section IX (boiler and pressure vessel) provide widely-accepted qualification frameworks. Many GCs and project owners require AWS or ASME certification by contract. The program documents whichever framework you use.
When does Cr(VI) come into play?
Welding stainless steel and high-chrome alloys generates hexavalent chromium fume. The OSHA PEL is 5 µg/m³ 8-hour TWA; the Action Level is 2.5 µg/m³. Sustained stainless welding without effective ventilation typically exceeds the Action Level. The program includes the trigger procedure — if your work involves stainless, you likely need a separate Cr(VI) compliance plan.
Is hot work permit included?
Hot work permit is a separate product — see our Hot Work Permit family (template, tag pad, FM Global variant, NFPA 51B variant, or bundle). The Welding Safety Program references the permit process; the permit itself is task-specific while the welding program is the umbrella.
Does this cover plasma cutting?
Yes — plasma cutting is covered as a thermal cutting process under both Subpart Q and Subpart J. The program addresses the additional hazards specific to plasma (intense UV/IR radiation, ozone generation, noise above 85 dBA, electrical shock from the high-voltage arc). The PPE matrix includes plasma-specific selections.