Welding generates fume and gases that, if inhaled, can be harmful to health. It is always best practice to use local extraction to control exposure to fume and gases at all times – advice that is mandated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations (COSHH) state that exposure to fume and gases when welding must be prevented or, when this is not reasonably practical, it must be controlled.
Not enough to use RPE alone
Control is best achieved by capturing the fume at source using local exhaust ventilation. When this method alone is not sufficient, additional approved Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) must also be used. It is not enough to use RPE alone, without local fume extraction.
Welders should also be aware that while employers have a legal responsibility to ensure fume control equipment is available and properly used, employees are also responsible for using it and for reporting any faults to the employer.
Inhalation of fume or gases when welding can be harmful to health, therefore, rules and regulations exist to guard against excessive exposure.
All manufacturers of welding materials are required to provide adequate information to allow users to assess the risks to health that may arise from their use. The risk to health depends on how much fume is generated and its composition.
Health risks
The welding process can contribute to health risks as it can affect the rate at which fumes or gases are produced and some processes inherently generate more fume or gases than others.
For example, while MIG/MAG processes typically generate more fume, TIG processes produce virtually none, but can generate high levels of ozone emissions instead.
In all cases, when working at a higher current, the fume or gas emission rate is higher, thus increasing the risk to health. The type of consumable being used is, however, the most significant factor when assessing the level of health risk – for example, welding stainless steel produces fume that can cause serious illness.
Choosing an optimum mixture
When carrying out a gas-shielded welding process, it is possible to mitigate the health risks posed by both fume and gases by choosing an optimum mixture. As an example, Maxx® gases from Air Products were developed to lower levels of ozone exposure.
Fume control is important for all welding processes. All businesses undertaking welding activities should ensure effective engineering controls are provided and correctly used to control fume arising from those welding activities.
This control should be sufficient to ensure that the welder’s exposure to fume and gases is within specified limits, known as exposure limits or Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs).
Fume control is local fume extraction and may also involve the use of approved RPE. Where LEV alone does not adequately control exposure, it should be supplemented by adequate and suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to protect against the residual fume.
Once the fume control is in place it is necessary to measure the levels of exposure to check they are within the specified limits, using protocols set out in relevant international quality standards – ISO 10882-1 and ISO 10882-2.
Check out www.airproducts.co.uk/maxx for more information or call 0808 164 8467 for a free demonstration.