Unlike the movies where welders wear dangerous clothing and don’t take care of their surroundings, real-life welding isn’t that simple. Welding is a dangerous job with heat and metal and electricity constantly being thrown around. Without the proper awareness of the risks of welding and how to avoid them someone can seriously get hurt or injured. Things like electric shocks, noxious fumes, and fire hazards can all cause harm.
Electric Shock
This is an extremely dangerous risk when it comes to arc welding. The use of electricity to melt and bond metals means that if you come into direct contact with the metals without insulation, it will shock you. This shock can cause many different effects, from minor pain, muscle spasms, and death. When working with electricity, it’s vital you use the proper tools and procedures. This includes wearing the proper dry gloves and proper grounded insulation between and you and the floor. Definitely don’t touch the metal while welding it; it carries the electric charge.
Fire Hazards
In the art of welding, massive amounts of sparks and heat will be created and flung about. This can be a major problem; anything flammable is a risk because of these sparks. Practices such as keeping a clean workspace and storing any flammable substances away from the workspace will limit these risks. However, a more personal approach to protection from fire and other risks of welding would be to invest in personal protective equipment designed for welding. Such equipment will help protect you in case of fire and reduce a fire’s harm if one occurs.
Noxious Fumes
Don’t ignore the gasses produced by welding. They’re dangerous if you’re exposed to them over a length of time. The longer you breath in these gasses the more damage they can do. Luckily, you can take steps to reduce exposure. The most important rule is to avoid the “fume plume” where the gasses are the strongest. If you’re in the fume plume, you’ll have highest chance of injury and sickness. A well-ventilated area and a good exhaust system can reduce these dangers. If you cannot get a well-ventilated area for welding there are also respiratory devices that’ll help protect you.
These are the risks of welding and how to avoid them. Just keep these in mind as you work on welding and you’ll avoid risk of injuries. It’s important to note that personal protective equipment is going to be vital to reduce all the risks of welding. Even with these steps and hazards in mind, it’ll be highly dangerous without protective equipment. Please keep yourselves safe, and keep on welding!
