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A welding arc emits heat, intense light and its fair share of radiation. And according to popular opinion, welding represents a dirty, dangerous job. Right?
Not so, according to industry insiders, if proper safety rules are followed. In reality welding work represents a perfectly safe way to make a living—a good one at that. With demand for welders at all-time highs, salaries and benefits have never been better.
For a complete rundown of welding safety, visit the American Welding Society's Web site at www.aws.org, where a key industry safety standard, ANSI Z49.1-2005, can be downloaded for free. In the meantime, here are some safety highlights to start. The bottom line: With proper training and a healthy dose of precaution, welders can expect a long, lucrative and rewarding career.
EYE AND FACE
For all eye and face protection designed for welding, read labels to ensure the equipment complies with ANSI Z87.1, Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection. For any jobs where flying particles and spatter present hazards, helmets should protect the face, forehead, neck and ears. Under the helmet, wear safety glasses with top and side protection. Overhead welding may require additional protection. Where practical, shops should isolate welding areas with partitions or screens for protection against harmful welding rays. Based on charts within the Z49.1 and related documents, select the correct filter for the welding application. Fixed-shade lenses are reliable as long as they are completely in the down position. Auto-darkening filters allow for the arc zone and workpiece to be completely visible before, during and after the welding operation, without needing to raise the helmet. (Source: AWS Z49.1, AWS Safety & Health Fact Sheet No. 31, 2006)
LUNGS
Metal fume fever refers to the flu-like symptoms obtained from excessive exposure to zinc oxide fume, which can come from working with galvanized metal, and the government specifies a certain permissible exposure limit (See NIOSH, Criteria Document for Zinc Oxide). Fume may also contain levels of chromium compounds, including hexavalent chromium. This all creates the need for fume exhaustion systems. Where local fume exhaust systems aren't practical, such as in confined spaces, welders must wear respirators to protect against excessive fume exposure. (Source: ANSI Z49.1; AWS Safety & Health Fact Sheet No. 31, 2002; AWS Safety & Health Fact Sheet No. 4, 2003)
CONFINED-SPACE WELDING
Companies should continually ventilate and monitor confined spaces and require use of an approved breathing device, as specified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. No unnecessary personnel should occupy the confined space, and workers must always ensure they can turn off equipment from inside the work space and have a safe, open and unobstructed exit path from the work area. A watch-person, properly trained, should be stationed outside the confined space before welders enter the work area. (Source: AWS Safety & Health Fact Sheet No. 11, 1995.)
BURN PROTECTION
Welders must wear oil-free protective garments such has heavy, hole-free, insulating gloves, heavy shirt, cuffless pants, high shoes or leather leggings, fire-resistant boots, and a cap. Never wear clothing that has holes or could catch molten sparks. When welding overhead or in a confined space, wear ear protection to prevent sparks from entering the ears. Remove matches, butane lighters and any other combustibles before welding. Use sheet-metal shields for very heavy-duty welding and cutting operations. Mark hot workpieces to prevent others from touching them. (Source: AWS Safety & Health Fact Sheet No. 7, 1995)
Editor's Note: Volumes have been written about this subject, and this article represents only a partial resource for welding safety. For comprehensive safety information, consult the American Welding Society, www.aws.org. This article is for informational purposes only and does not represent an official interpretation of safety rules and regulations.