Welding equipment in Commerical Garage

[Bjenks]

I am doing a Major Repair Garage without a pit and not meeting the ventilation requirement to make it unclassified. In the corner of the repair area they have a welding shop and a tool shop (grinders, drill presses, ect). All of the outlets and disconnects will be over 18" AFF. My question is: do I have to concern myself with the actual equipment itself such as the welder being mounted on the floor which is in the classified space? what if the guy is welding 8" off the floor or something? Am I ok on the tool shop equipment since the switch and motors are generally over 18" aff? If we do put an exhaust fan it that is 12" aff is it only the disconnect that has to be 18" AFF or do I have to concern myself with the actual motor?

 

[kwired]

I don't know what to tell you, and have found a little humor in this part of calling the entire floor and below floor areas a classified area for electrical equipment yet many of those places do activities such as grinding, welding, or other spark producing activity.

But I guess the main idea of classifying the area here is not that ignitable vapors are always present, but if they are present we don't want them to enter electrical enclosures and migrate through raceways to other electrical equipment. Such portable equipment is not going to allow such migration but is not wise to use when you know ignitable vapors are present either. JMO.