Welding Hazards and Safety Measures: Ensuring a Safe Working Environment Welding is a very important skill that affects nearly all aspects of our lives-from the cars we ride to the buildings we live in. However, welding also imposes common hazards, to prevent ourself from this hazard, safety is a must. Most of the common hazards have an understanding and taking effective safety measures to reduce the occurrence of injuries and accidents. This article is about common welding hazards and what steps a welder can take to stay safe.
Common Welding Hazards
Exposure to Welding Fumes and Gases
Welding activities will expose you to gaseous fumes, including ozone, nitrogen oxides, chromium and nickel oxides, and carbon monoxide which are inhaled into your lungs through breathing. Depending on the gas or fume, the concentration, and duration of your exposure, the resultant damage can be severe.
There is no minimum safe exposure limit for welding fume. Management have to make sure they keep workers safe from all the hazardous fumes when they’re welding, even when they’re just welding regular steel. Every welders doing welding needs to make sure they have got the right safety equipemnts and use it right, even when they are outside. Employers have to make sure welders have the right respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to breathe easy. More information on control methods will be discussed later in this article.
Illnesses caused by welding fumes and gases include:
- Pneumonia. Regular exposure to welding fumes and gases can result in a lung infection which could then develop into pneumonia. While antibiotics can usually stop the infection, severe pneumonia can result in hospitalisation, serious illness and fatalities.
- Occupational asthma. Chromium oxides and nickel oxides produced by stainless steel and high nickel alloy welding can both cause asthma.
- Cancer. All welding fumes are internationally considered ‘carcinogenic’.
- Metal fume fever. Welding or hot work on galvanised metal and high steel weld fume exposure can often result in ‘flu-like’ symptoms, which are usually worse at the start of the working week. You might have heard that drinking milk before welding will help you avoid developing metal fume fever, but this is a myth.
- Throat and lung irritation, including throat dryness, tickling of the throat, coughing and tight chests.
To mitigate these risks:
- Ensure Proper Ventilation: Maintain proper ventilation in the welding area to remove fumes and gases.
- Use Respiratory Protection: Wear approved welding respiratory systems when and where required.
- Understand Material Hazards: Different material produces different gases and fumes so be aware of the specific hazards along with the materials you are welding.
Fires and Explosions
Fires and explosions are two of the main hazards associated with welding and other hot work activities. Where these are not effectively managed, severe consequences can occur, including serious or fatal injuries and destruction of property. Sparks and spatter from welding can ignite flammable materials, leading to fire or explosions. To manage these risks:
- Keep the welding area free of combustible materials & ensure that no flammable material are present near the welding site.
- Keep appropriate firefighting tools near to welding area.
- Check for gas leaks or equipment damage on regular basis
Electric Shock
During the arc welding process, live electrical circuits are used to create a pool of molten metal. Therefore, when welding, you are at risk of experiencing an electric shock. Electric shock is the most serious hazard posed by welding and can result in serious injuries and fatalities, either through a direct shock or from a fall from height after a shock. You are also at risk of experiencing a secondary electric shock should you touch part of the welding or electrode circuit at the same time as touching the metal you are welding.
You are particularly at risk if you work in electrically hazardous conditions. These include welding:
- While wearing wet clothing so ensure that gloves and clothing are dry to prevent electric shock.
- On metal flooring or structures so verify that all equipment is properly grounded
- In cramped conditions where you are required to lie, kneel or crouch so Prevent direct contact between electrode parts and skin or wet clothing.
Hearing Loss Due to Noise
Welding and related processes generates loud noises, which may lead to hearing damage. A loud noise is considered to be above 85 dB(A), and welding activities such as flame cutting and air arc gouging can produce noise levels of over 100 dB(A). This can be very damaging to the ears and can result in hearing impairment. Regular or immediate exposure to loud noises can cause permanent noise-induced hearing loss.
- Wear ear protection in loud noise environments.
- Keep equipment in good condition to minimize noise levels.
- Reduce the time spent in loud environments to prevent hearing loss.
Exposure to UV and IR Radiation
Looking at the intense bloom of UV light produced when welding, without appropriate PPE or welding curtains, can result in a painful and sometimes long-lasting condition called arc-eye. Many factors can affect the severity of a flash burn injury, such as distance, duration and the angle of penetration. Long-term exposure to arc flashes could also potentially result in cataracts and lead to a loss of vision.
Other forms of eye damage include:
- Foreign bodies entering the eye, including grit, sparks and dust.
- Particulate fumes and gases, which could lead to conjunctivitis.
To protect yourself:
- Wear a Suitable Helmet: Use a welding helmet with adequate shade to shield your eyes from bright light and UV rays.
- Use Protective Eyewear: Wear safety glasses with side shields beneath your helmet.
- Ensure Nearby Safety: Make sure others in the vicinity are also properly protected.
Physical Hazards
When welding on shop shop floor physical conditions, handling heavy materials and equipment, may be cause of burns, eye injuries, cuts, and crushed limbs. To reduce these risks:
- Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as welding helmets, eye protection, gloves, and flame-resistant clothing, safety shoes, and other required as per site conditions.
- Use proper lifting aids and crane shall be operated only by trained personnel to prevent physical injuries.
- Keep work areas tidy and free from hazards one can do so by implementation of 5S on site.
Practicing proper lifting techniques helps prevent injuries and ensures a safer work environment.
Welding Safety Precautions
Ensuring high levels of safety is vital when undertaking any welding activity. Your employer has a legal responsibility to ensure that the risks in your workplace are assessed, controlled and monitored. They must ensure that a risk assessment is undertaken for your workplace and work activities, either by themselves or another competent person.