Burns are the most common injury to welders, due to sparks landing on the skin. Welding arcs are very intense and can cause burns to skin and eyes with just a few minutes of exposure.
Protective clothing needed for welding includes general fire resistant clothing, safety glasses, shoes, gloves, helmet and leathers.
No, oxy-fuel goggles do not protect your eyes from the intense ultraviolet radiation (UV) produced by the welding arc. A welding helmet with the proper shaded lens must be used whenever welding.
Because of its durability and resistance to fire, wool clothing is suggested over synthetics. Synthetics should never be worn because they melt when exposed to extreme heat. Cotton can be worn if it is specially treated to retard fire.
Avoid rolling up your sleeves or pant cuffs, because sparks or hot metal could deposit in the folds. Also, wear your pants outside your work boots, not tucked in, to keep particles from falling into your boots.
Even when wearing a helmet, Z87.1 approved safety glasses with side shields, or goggles, should always be worn to protect your eyes from flying particles.
Leather boots with six- to eight-inch ankle coverage are the best foot protection. Where heavy work is done, safety toe protection boots should be worn. Metatarsal guards over the shoe laces can protect them from falling objects and sparks.
The two types of radiation are IR and UV radiation. Infrared (IR) radiation can cause retinal burning and cataracts. IR can usually be felt as heat. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which cannot be felt, can cause an eye burn known as “Welder‘s Flash.”
It is essential that your eyes are protected from radiation exposure. Infrared (IR) radiation can cause retinal burning and cataracts. IR can usually be felt as heat. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which cannot be felt, can cause an eye burn known as “Welder‘s Flash.” This condition may not be apparent until several hours after exposure. It can cause extreme discomfort and can result in swelling, fluid excretion and temporary blindness. Normally, Welder‘s Flash is temporary, but repeated or prolonged exposure can lead to permanent injury of the eyes.
Even brief exposure to ultra-violet or UV rays can result in a burn to the eyes known as “Welders Flash.” Welders Flash may not be evident until several hours after exposure. It causes extreme discomfort and can result in swelling, fluid excretion from the eyes, and even temporary blindness. Normally, this condition is temporary, but repeated overexposure to UV radiation can result in permanent eye damage.
The general rule of thumb is to choose a filter too dark to see the arc and then move to the next lighter setting without dropping to below the minimum recommended rating.
Infrared radiation cannot be seen but is felt as heat. And there is no way to sense if you are being overexposed to ultraviolet radiation – so don‘t take any chances and always wear eye and face protection with the proper protective shading.
Ultraviolet radiation can also burn exposed skin. This process is similar to getting sunburn from overexposure to the sun. Long exposure to arc rays without protection can lead to second and third degree skin buns. Repeated overexposure to ultraviolet radiation is a known cause of skin cancer.
Welders should be able to wear contact lenses safely in most situations – provided they wear appropriate industrial eyewear and use the protection we‘ve already discussed with respect to protection against arc rays. Anyone wearing contacts on the job should consult with their company medical staff and their own ophthalmologist.
Earplugs and earmuffs keep metal sparks and airborne particles from entering your ear canal, and of course, they protect your hearing from the effects of excessive noise.
Levels of noise over 85 decibels, averaged over an 8-hour workday, are potentially hazardous to your hearing. Noise levels that are painful or are loud enough to interfere with your ability to hear others speaking at a normal conversational volume may be potentially hazardous.
The length and number of times you are exposed to high levels of noise determines the extent of the damage to your hearing. High noise levels cause damage to the ear drum and other sensitive parts of your inner ear.
If it is not possible to reduce the level of noise at the source by moving either yourself or the equipment, or by using sound barriers, then you should wear adequate ear protection.
Whenever possible, ventilation systems or other controls should be used to remove harmful fumes and gases. However, if these measures do not adequately reduce exposure levels, a respirator may be necessary. Various types of respirators each have their own benefits and limitations. A summary of common welding respirator categories is shown in Table 2.
First an industrial hygienist or other safety professional should tell you which respirator type should be used. Particulate (Dust) Filters: Fumes can only be captured with particulate filters. Table 1 lists particle filter classifications defined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Always look for the NIOSH mark and classification code when choosing a particulate filter.