Soldering program

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Microsoft establishes the Soldering Program to comply with applicable regulations.  Additional state and local regulations may also apply.  This program details a process to prevent workplace hazards that may be present during soldering performed at Microsoft facilities.  Hazards may include fire, injury from exposure to heat, fumes, gases, or flames, and/or property loss.  

This program applies to all Microsoft employees and external staff in areas where soldering is performed.  The program defines the requirements for proper training of employees and external staff to ensure they have the requisite knowledge and understanding of safe work practices and procedures while performing these operations.

2.1 Prevention and Control

2.1.1 Written Soldering Plan

Each Microsoft location included in the scope of this procedure must develop a Site-Specific Soldering Plan (Site Plan). The Site Plan must be made available to any personnel potentially affected by the procedure, including employees, external staff, or regulatory agency personnel. The Site Plan must include the following:

• Program purpose and scope.

• Personnel roles and responsibilities. A Site Administrator must be designated for each work location to oversee implementation of the Site Plan.

• Definitions of terms critical for understanding the program, or those terms not commonly understood.

• General safety rules.

• Description of hazards and risk assessments

• SOPs for soldering work, including identification of employees and external staff authorized to weld or solder.

• Soldering safety training.

• Proper disposal methods for waste generated from soldering activities.

2.1.2 Designated Soldering Areas

Each location should set up a designated soldering area. The area should:

• Provide a non-combustible surface where the soldering activity is performed.

• Be kept clear of combustible materials.

• Be equipped with a local exhaust ventilation system to pull fumes and vapors away from the breathing zone.

• Provide a holder or location for the hot irons.

• Be kept clear of food and beverage.

2.1.3 Soldering Safety

When soldering, the following safe work practices should be followed:

• All combustible materials must be removed from the work area prior to beginning soldering activities.

• Use a local exhaust ventilation system to pull fumes and vapors away from the breathing zone.

• Do not contact or touch hot soldering irons and components and warn others in the area of the hazards of the hot tools.

• Place hot irons in an appropriate holder, switch off and/or unplug when not in use, and allow tools to cool before storing to prevent heat or fire damage.

• Hands and face must be washed after soldering to prevent the possible ingestion of metal contamination (especially lead) from soldering.

• Food and beverage must not be stored or consumed in the designated area away, separate from where soldering is performed.

2.1.4 Ventilation

Several potentially hazardous materials contained in fluxes, coatings, coverings, and filler metals may be released to the work area when soldering.

In general, workers must use local exhaust or general ventilating systems when operations may generate hazardous fumes, gases, or dust. These systems assist with diluting can help keep the amount of airborne hazardous materials below the material’s permissible exposure limit (PEL). For more detailed information on exposure to hazardous materials, refer to the Microsoft Exposure Assessment Program and Chemical Hygiene Plan.

2.1.5 Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment is an evaluation of health and safety hazards in a work task and determining the likelihood of personnel injury or property damage resulting from those hazards. These analyses will usually include:

• Interviewing supervisors, employees, and external staff.

• Observing work practices.

• Reviewing supporting documents that may include applicable regulations and guidelines and SOPs.

• Conducting air and/or surface sampling, where occupational exposure limits are in question or as otherwise necessary.

• Engaging process experts to review the tasks and develop safe work practices for operation and maintenance.

The Site Administrator will provide recommendations of appropriate engineering controls, administrative controls, work practices, PPE, or corrective action items. Supervisors must notify the Site Safety and Health Administrator when:

• Changes are made to job processes that present additional hazards.

• Audit corrective action items have been completed.

For more information on the risk assessment process, consult the Microsoft Exposure Assessment Program.

2.1.6 Training

Each location must train employees and external staff authorized to perform soldering. Training must be provided for:

• Authorized personnel at initial assignment.

• Retraining for employees and external staff when changes in procedures or work assignments occur.

• Retraining for employees and external staff if there is reason to believe they do not possess the required skills, or as a corrective action item following an incident.

Microsoft OHS has defined training to meet regulatory requirements for soldering. To obtain training, contact Global OHS. Any training program must include the following information:

• An overview of soldering requirements and hands-on instruction of the applicable Site Plan.

• Applicable federal, state, or local regulations.

• A review of the hazards associated with soldering.

• Summary of the soldering program and how to access the written program.

• Hands-on instruction in the use of site-specific equipment, including appropriate fire protection equipment.

• A review of the manufacturer's operating instructions.

• Details of the PPE requirements for soldering work.

• Requirements for maintaining records of all training, including the name of the instructor, the trainees (names and signatures), the material covered, and the date.

• Procedures for responding to and reporting an incident.

2.1.7 Audits

The Site Plan must be audited annually and updated as needed to correct identified deficiencies. Site Administrator must also review any past incidents related to soldering that occurred since the previous audit.

Managers and supervisors should be consulted about program improvement opportunities and involved in implementation of needed compliance improvements. The Site Plan should be updated as needed to reflect regulatory changes and improvements resulting from the annual audit.

Incident investigations are initiatied upon receiving reports. To foster a culture of health and safety at Microsoft, employees, interns, and external staff are required to report all work-related accidents, injuries, and illnesses via SafetyHub Report. Learn more on the Global OHS reporting page. 

Each site must maintain and have the following records available for review by Microsoft OHS:

Stakeholders for each Microsoft Facility or Business Group are responsible for implementing the requirements established by the Global OHS Program that are necessary for Microsoft to meet its regulatory requirements.

The following terms are used in this document. The definitions below are used in the scope of this document but local regulatory definitions override if there is a conflict.

Combustible Liquid: Liquids with a flash point of 100°F or above, which are capable of ignition and require a higher degree of heat to produce a fire compared to flammable liquids.

Combustible Material: This term applies to solid materials that are capable of igniting and burning, usually with a flash point at or above 37.8°C (100°F) but below 93.3°C (200°F).

Designated Area: A work area where hot work activities may occur. These areas must be free from combustibles and have certain fire prevention and extinguishing equipment in place.

Engineering controls: The elimination or reduction of a hazard by means of engineered machinery or equipment. Examples include process change, isolation, ventilation, and source modification.

Exposure Assessment: Determination or estimation (qualitative or quantitative) of magnitude, frequency, duration, and route of exposure.

Fire Watchperson: A person or persons assigned to an area for the express purpose of notifying the fire department and/or building occupants of an emergency, preventing a fire from occurring, extinguishing small fires, or protecting the public from fire and life safety dangers.

Fire Watch: The act of watching for the occurrence of fire during and after performing hot work. This is performed by a Fire Watchperson with the intent of detecting fires early so they can be extinguished quickly and damage to land and/or property can be prevented or minimalized.

Flammable Liquid: A liquid with a flash point below 100°F.

Flammable Material: This term applies to solid materials that are capable of igniting and burning, usually with a flash point below 100°F.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI): Provides additional protection from shocks by shutting off current to equipment when a change in electricity is sensed. GFCI's are designed to shut off electrical power within as little as 1/40 of a second.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): An international nonprofit organization focused on reducing the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): The federal agency responsible for developing and enforcing regulations related to health and safety in the workplace, establishing enforceable chemical exposure limits, and setting minimum standards for workplace health and safety. OSHA is part of the United States Department of Labor.

Oxygen Deficient Atmosphere: An atmosphere with oxygen content below 19.5% by volume.

Soldering: The use of metals having low melting points (below 800°F) to join electrical, electronic, and other small metal parts.

7.1 Microsoft Internal

• MS Policy 37019-2, Regulatory Compliance

• MS Policy 37019-5, Regulatory Investigations, Inspections, and Inquiries

• Microsoft Medical Surveillance Procedure

• Microsoft Vendor Code of Conduct

• Microsoft Accident Prevention Program

• Employee Safety Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

• Risk Assessment Program

• Microsoft Personal Protective Equipment Program

• Microsoft Puget Sound Respiratory Protection Plan

• Microsoft Confined Space Program

• Microsoft Chemical Hygiene Plan

• Microsoft Exposure Assessment Program

7.2 Microsoft External

• OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.251-.255 Subpart Q, Welding, Cutting, and Brazing

• OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-1, Limits for Air Contaminants

• OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.132, Personal Protective Equipment

• OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.133, Eye and Face Protection

• OSHA Chemical Sampling Guide, Chemicals

• NIOSH Publication No. 88-110: Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Welding, Brazing, and Thermal Cutting

• NIOSH Publication No. 2005-151: NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards – Welding Fumes

• NIOSH Approval of Respiratory Protective Devices, 42 CFR Part 84

• NFPA, Standard for Fire Prevention in Use of Cutting and Welding Processes, NFPA Standard 51B,1962

• Washington, WAC 296-24-680, Welding, Cutting and Brazing

• California, CCR, Title 8, Section 4794, Gas Systems for Welding and Cutting

• California, CCR, Title 8, Section 4850, Electric Welding

The Site Safety and Health Administrator may use this outline to produce a written soldering plan for establishing safe work practices and communicating the hazards associated with soldering activities to employees and external staff working in their areas. The Site Plan must be tailored to identify or comply with the following:

• Federal, state, or local regulations governing soldering at the facility location.

• Machines, equipment, or processes covered under their program.

• Employees or external staff covered under their program.

Managers must make the Site Plan available to employees, external staff, and corporate or regulatory compliance officers.

Purpose

State the purpose of the program (establishes consistent management practices, minimize safety and health risks, and communicate workplace hazards).

Scope

Describe the area or facility-specific operations that fall under this program (areas that perform soldering operations).

Regulations

A list of any applicable federal, state, and local regulations must be included here. For example, in the United States, federal regulations for soldering safety fall under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.251 -.255, Subpart Q, Welding, Cutting, and Brazing. Individual states or local municipalities may have additional requirements.

Roles and Responsibilities

Personnel with responsibility for oversight or implementation of soldering safe work practices must be identified here. The site plan’s list should include those roles and responsibilities listed in this document.

Definitions

The written soldering plan must include definitions. However, additional definitions may be required based on applicable regulations or activities that take place at the site.

Workplace Survey and Risk Assessment

Summarize the workplace survey and risk assessment results at the workplace. This summary can be presented as a table for easy reference. Be sure that the summary allows the reader to easily identify the referenced machine, equipment, or process on the workplace floor. This can be done by including photographs or floor maps in the document.

Soldering Procedures

Establish SOPs and safe work practices for soldering. Include specifics on controls and PPE that employees and external staff must use during that procedure. Include a list of employees and external staff authorized to conduct soldering. Each workplace should consider what additional rules should be added to this list, based on site-specific conditions.

Training

Information on training frequency and site-specific training content must be incorporated in this section.

Inspections

Annual audits of each established Site Plan must be performed. Audit documentation must be retained onsite. Following the audits, training and other corrective actions must be taken as necessary.

Incident Investigations

Incident investigations should be performed for all accidents, incidents, and near-miss incidents that were directly or indirectly related to soldering.