Health hazards associated with welding.  

For a welder, professionalism is not just about being able to weld efficiently. It is also about knowing the risks of the job and knowing how to work safely and with good equipment. Here is an overview of the risks.

• Inhaling fumes and particles.
• Working with an awkward posture, and lifting heavy items.
• Exposure to vibrations, such as from vibrating tools for grinding or slagging.
• Looking at the welding arc and being affected by the glare, other eye damage or skin lesions.
• Getting splashes or sparks in the ears, eyes or skin.
• Exposure to noise.
• Coming into contact with electrically conductive equipment and receiving an electrical shock.
• Suffering an accident, suffocation, poisoning, fire or explosion.
• Exposure to electromagnetic fields from power cables and welding equipment.

Welding fumes

Inhalation of welding fumes is one of the most serious risks facing welders. Welding fumes contain substances that in the long term can cause diseases. Many of the symptoms and diseases that welding fumes may cause, only manifest themselves when welders are exposed to them over a long period. It is therefore important to protect yourself against welding fumes even when you do not immediately feel affected by them.

Capture at source is the most effective way to eliminate welding fumes before they reach the welder's breathing area. Watch our on-torch welding products in action.