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The potential hazards of welding include harmful smoke (a mixture of fine particles – fumes - of metal and toxic gases), intense heat and sparks, loud noises, bright light, ultraviolet and infrared radiation. Exposure to welding fumes has been a common problem for welders, especially for those involved in railroad track and shipyard welding, automobile industry, construction, and heavy equipment manufacturing. Welding fumes are internationally classified as carcinogenic to humans ( IARC cla …

The history of joining different metals together dates back to the Bronze Age. But it wasn't until the end of the 19th century that the only welding process that existed was forge welding. Welding is a process that joins materials together by melting a metal piece with a filler metal to form a strong joint. Today, the most common types of welding processes are: Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), or Manual Metal Arc Welding (MMAW) Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), or Tungsten Inert …

Construction welders regularly need to enter confined spaces in boilers, tanks, or pressure vessels to perform repairs or during the manufacturing process. Both MIG welding and TIG welding use inert gas that's heavier than air and that has the potential to displace oxygen and create a major hazard for the welder. Because of the inadequate ventilation of confined spaces, the heavy gas has the potential to literally submerge a worker. And because it's colorless and tasteless, it's easy to mis …

Allegro has added a new line of affordable Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) systems for welders and other industrial workers who need both eye and face protection as well as a quality respirator. The EZ Air Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) series provides outstanding protection from welding and other fumes and vapors without the need for fit testing. You, professional welders, need protection from dust, steel, manganese, stainless steel, chromium, galvanized steel, cadmium …

Many different types of work require repetitive motion or lack of movement altogether. Workers who frequently shift from standing to sitting can damage their knees. Others stand for long periods with little variety of movement, causing lower back stress and joint pain. If they experience muscular, nerve, or joint pain regularly, and believe that it's work related, the cause may be repetitive strain injury (RSI). RSI is generally caused by performing a particular activity repeatedly or for a l …

Working at height can be dangerous. Welding is also rife with hazardous possibilities. Do them both at the same time and you're a special type of person. This photo was taken during a highway traffic stop in Costa Rica. While I don't consider the typical Costa Rican construction project to be overly safe, I was amazed to see the level of safety exhibited in this photo. First let's look at the highway workers. They're all wearing reflective safety vests. They are also wearing hard hat …

Electricians have one of the most dangerous jobs in the country according to OSHA reports. While the wattage in homes is enough to cause serious damage or death, even greater danger occurs when workers are exposed to the major electrical forces involved with municipalities and major factory and industrial work. And while training and experience are often the best ways to avoid injury, there are tools and clothing that are specially made to help an electrician fare better in the event of an ac …

There are loads of new arc flash rated fall protection products that have hit the market recently. If you are working with your feet off the ground as an electrician, utility worker, welder, or have some other trade working with high heat or the possibility of arc flash, you owe it to yourself to consider these products. DBI-SALA came out with their Nano-Lok line of lightweight, compact self-retracting lifelines earlier this year, and they have very recently added several Arc Flas …

Welders understand that the fumes and gases produced from their work can lead to serious illness. The danger and amount of exposure to the welders depend on the type of work being done, the rod, filler metals, base metals, coatings, contaminants, as well as the amount of ventilation and respiration protection. We simply don't know everything there is to know about protecting workers from welding fumes. However, there are some common precautions that can be taken to protect workers …

When using a 3M 2091 Particulate Filter in the field, it is important to change it frequently enough to ensure that you are still getting the necessary protection. I receive many questions asking about the lifetime of these filters. Here is one of the more recent questions: I know it depends on usage and environment, but are the 2091 particulate filters designed to be used and then stored until needed again or are they meant to be used once and then thrown out? If I use this filter f …