Welders at Serious Risk from Welding Fumes
Ensure Welders' Safety With Proper Protective Equipment & Safety Measures
Welders encounter a wide range of atmospheric hazards, such as fluorides, lead, zinc, and toxic cleaning compounds. Exposure to zinc oxide often results in Metal Fume Fever. Named for its flu-like symptoms, Metal Fume Fever is an acute allergic reaction many welders experience throughout their welding career and is caused simply by breathing the fumes from welding galvanised metal. Symptoms usually start several hours after exposure but will take a worker 24 to 48 hours to fully recover.
Welding hazards are not limited to inhaled contaminants, metals like chromium compounds are released when welding stainless steel and can cause skin irritations and even accelerate the onset of dermatitis. That’s why it’s so important to ensure proper precautions are being taken.
PPEs and Safety Measures
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) whilst efficient in protecting your employees should be used in with a combination of workplace safety measures.
Such measures should include:
â—‰ Ensuring effective local ventilation.
â—‰ Ensuring the entire workplace is well-ventilated.
â—‰ Make sure the welding areas are separate from the rest of the workspace.
â—‰ Try to use the list detailing hazardous materials.
Personal Protection
Elliotts have led the way in protective clothing for welders, we have now been at it for 50 years. We have an extensive range of welding garments made from various materials to take care of welding in all kinds of situations. Whether you are a stick, MIG or TIG welder, working outdoors, indoors, or in a confined space, Elliotts have the protection you need.
Respirators
Airborne hazards can come in the form of both vapour and particles. To ensure the highest level of safety, only use respirators that have been certified to AS 1716. There are filters available for all kinds of welding situations, so it’s important to seek advice before choosing your respirator.
Helmets
Like any helmet, welding helmets provide protection to the face, neck, and in particular, eyes from flash burns, ultraviolet light, sparks, infrared light, and heat. Ensure that when purchasing a welding helmet that it’s certified to AS/NZS 1337 and 1338.
Gloves
Welding gloves should be made of leather or a flame-resistant material, have extensive cuff protection and have sufficient dexterity to carry out the particular welding process. For Tig welding, the TigMate offers excellent dexterity, and protection and is available in various cuff lengths. For heavy-duty welding, the Kevlar Blue has an extra reinforced knuckle bar strip across the back of the hand that protects the knuckles and offers additional abrasion protection as well as a reinforced palm and thumb. They are also certified to AS/NZS 2161.4.
CONTACT US
If you'd like to learn more about which welding gear to get for your needs, feel free to get in contact with us at Elliotts Australia. We would love to assist you! Call us on 07 3265 2944 or send us a message through our Contact page.
