Welding puts workers at risk for a range of health hazards, the most common is exposure to metal fumes, burns from hot sparks, eye damage, and electrical shocks. You can reduce these risks by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing.

Most people agree on the essential safety equipment you need to weld, but it’s also important to check current industry standards and regulations; an excellent source for this is OSHA.

Before going into the safety equipment and PPE’s, I will apply my high school teacher’s formula, discuss the hazards of welding, and then go into safety precautions.

5 Common welding hazards.

Welding is a hazardous activity that poses many dangers. To minimize the risk of injury or long-term health conditions, you must learn how to safely work with the equipment and be aware of precautions before performing any welding activities.

Failure to follow sound safety precautions can lead to injury or, in the worst-case scenario, death. For these reasons, commercial welders often go through training workshops to learn about proper procedures for working with power sources, gas bottles, and open flames.

Electric shock

Electric arc welding is a process where electricity travels through gas and creates an “arc,” which can be hazardous because it produces heat, light, and other forms of radiation. The most obvious risk associated with this form of welding is electrical shock.

Both primary and secondary electric shocks can cause severe injuries, and if the worst happens, electric shocks can be fatal. You will constantly be exposed to electric shock if you work in wet conditions and highly congested areas where body movement is limited.

There are many ways that someone might get shocked by welding – from improper connections from the welder to failing to wear the proper protective clothing. Always check your machine’s wiring, ensure the clamp is tight and clear of metal outside of your circuit.

Burns

Welding is an intense and dangerous process that uses high-temperature welding arcs, UV rays, and molten metal to create a weld. There is a real risk you will get burned if you’re not wearing appropriate protection during the process.

Sparks from the welding process are hot metal and can burn arms or exposed skin, as well as eyes, and the metal you are working on remains hot enough to burn you even after you stop welding.

Proper PPE is advised, including closed-toe shoes and safety glasses with side shields under a welding helmet. Wearing a helmet, a welding jacket, and covering exposed skin, can help you avoid burns.

Noise

Welding activities such as flame cutting produce a loud noise that can lead to noise-induced hearing loss along with other side effects such as dizziness, ringing in the ears, and increased blood pressure /heart rate.

UV/IR radiation exposure

Strong UV or IR light is produced during welding and can be very detrimental to your eyes. Extended exposure to this beam may lead to cataracts and vision loss.

Gaseous fumes exposure

Exposure to toxic fumes is one of the leading causes of injuries to welders. When gases displace or decrease the percentage of oxygen in your air, it can quickly lead to asphyxiation without warning.

Never work on a welding project in confined spaces with no supply of fresh air; welding produces a lot of invisible and toxic gases that can lead to illnesses such as cancer, pneumonia, asthma, throat and lung irritation.

Be aware of the material you’re working with and take proper precautions, some metal you weld may emit toxic fumes. The type of respirator needed depends entirely upon which elements or chemicals will be vaporized when heated.

With all these hazards, it is clear that you need to follow some safety precautions anytime you do a welding activity. One of the most important safety precautions is wearing the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Here are the PPE you should buy or be provided with if you work for a company:

Safety Precautions

Welding respirator – Protects the lungs against fumes and gaseous oxides. Always ensure that the respirator is recommended for the welding work you are doing.

Welding helmet and a fire-resistant hood – The welding helmet keeps UV radiation, intense light, sparks, and other burning elements off your eyes and face. A fire-resistant hood protects the back of your head from these elements. You should always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when using a welding helmet. You need to adjust the filter for the lens until you achieve comfortable visibility that does not irritate your eyes.

Fire-resistant aprons – Shields exposed skin from burns and radiation. The clothing should be made of cotton and not a synthetic material. Also, ensure that the apron has no cuffs and that the pockets are covered.
Fire-resistant Earplugs/muffs- Protects your ears from loud noise. Ears muffs are preferred since they also shield your ears from sparks.

Boots and gloves – Cushions your feet and hand from heat, burns, fires, and electric shock. Go for steel-toe capped shoes with a rubber sole and insulated flame-resistant gloves.

To get the best protection, use PPEs as direct and avoid the following:
Removing your helmet while welding- All welding activities should be done with your helmet on. The welding helmet protects your delicate face and head area from welding elements. Even if you are not practically welding, you should wear the correct PPE when in close vicinity (10 m and below) to the welding workspace.

Keeping the PPEs untidy – You must clean your protective clothing and gears from time to time to ensure that dirt does not compromise some of their properties, such as fire resistance.

Folding up parts of your trouser or sleeves – Cloth folds can trap sparks and potentially cause severe burns. Always keep everything straightened and tucked in, if possible.

Additional safety precautionary measures

Keep the workspace adequately ventilated to ensure that gases and small particulates do not build up.
Eliminate flammables from your welding workspace to reduce the risk of fires
Get trained on how to use welding equipment and the safety precautions that are involved.

Conclusion

Welding is a valuable activity, especially in an industrial setting where metals need to be joined regularly. If done right and following the above preventive measures, you can significantly reduce the occurrence of accidents. On the other hand, serious injuries can occur when you don’t follow safety protocol. Hopefully, this guide helps prevent you from getting injured.

Below is a helpful welding safety training video I encourage you to watch.

A welding safety checklist can help ensure your safety by eliminating hazards. It’s essential to ensure you have all of the protective gear, a safe workspace, proper ventilation, and that your equipment meets industry standards before you start any work.

Welders must always follow basic safety precautions to avoid injury or even death; this applies to hobby welders as well. One of the essential safety precautions is creating and following a welding safety checklist.

Hazards of Welding

Welding is a process that joins two pieces of metal together. Welders use electricity to heat the metal until it melts and then joins them together. During the process, high heat, dangerous voltage, toxic fumes, and sparks are created.

When it comes to welding, safety needs are a priority. Organizations like OSHA and ACGIH have offered some guidelines in the workplace for employees’ protection – but employers need to ensure their staff review these datasheets. For ease, here is an overview of some hazards you need to be aware of:

Burns:

Since UV rays, molten metals, and high-temperature welding arcs are involved in welding, you are highly susceptible to severe burns. These burns can not only affect the skin, but they may also be harmful to the eyes.

Electric Shock:

There are many risks associated with arc welding, one being that you can get an electric shock when touching two different pieces of metal. An electrical power source is used in the welding process to generate enough heat to melt metal and create an arc.

Power sources use a high current at low voltage to create heat in metal, and when a welder touches two pieces of metal with different voltages, this can result in severe injuries or even death.

Not only can you experience a direct shock, but you can also experience a secondary shock if you touch any part of the electrode circuit simultaneously while you’re handling the metal that you’re welding.

Noise Hazards:

Loud and prolonged noises can permanently damage your ears. Any noise that exceeds the 85 dBA limit is dangerous, and activities such as air arc gouging and flame cutting often produce noise above 100 dBA. Excessive noise exposure can be very damaging to your ears and cause hearing loss.

If you are regularly exposed to loud noise, you may even develop permanent noise-induced hearing loss. Some other side effects include increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, and occasional dizziness as well.

UV and IR Radiation Exposure:

When welding, an intense bloom of UV light is produced. Without appropriate protection, such as shields or goggles, a person’s retina can be damaged by penetrating radiation that causes flash burns (arc-eye) and may result in long-term damage.

Arc-eye is an inflammation of the cornea, and its severity is related to three factors: distance from a welder’s flash, duration and penetration angle. Symptoms typically appear several hours after exposure when one’s eyes become red, watery/itchy, with a gritty feeling and a sensitivity to light.

Gas and Fume Exposure:

Welding can expose you to invisible gas fumes such as chromium, nickel oxides, as well as nitrogen oxides. The damage that welding can have on you depends on many factors, including the type of fume or gas, its concentration, and the duration of the exposure.

Welding is an intense process that can release harmful and often invisible fumes. The damage caused by breathing in these toxic fumes depends on many factors, including the type of fume or gas, their concentration, and the duration of the exposure.

Welders who have short-term exposure to fumes could develop eye, nose, and throat irritation as well as nausea or dizziness; some gases can even cause suffocation. If you have any of these symptoms after acute exposure, you should leave the area immediately and seek fresh air and medical attention if necessary.

Long-term exposure to harmful fumes may cause permanent respiratory damage and various types of cancer, including lung, larynx, or urinary tract. Other health effects from prolonged exposure include metal fume fever, stomach ulcers, kidney damage, and neurological damage; there is even a risk of developing Parkinson-like symptoms.

Welding Pre Start Checklist:

To ensure safety, several practices need to be in place before starting the actual welding work. Here is a checklist of the things that you need to keep in mind.

1. Be familar with equipment you’re using which includes reading the operating manuals.
2. Wearing appropriate safety equipment and check to make sure its in good condition
3. Wear proper clothing for the job and button up.
4. Checking the power supply and other cables connected to welding machines.
5. Check out your welding machine to comfirm it’s not faulty.
6. Is a fire blanket available in the working area?
7. Ensure your work area is well ventilated.

Welding Equipment Safety Checklist

The welding industry requires you to wear appropriate equipment when performing welds. This equipment protects from unnecessary incidents such as blindness, skin burns, or overexposures to gases and fumes.

Here is a list of welding safety equipment that can protect from welding hazards.

1.      Welding Helmet:

A welding helmet or mask can protect welders from radiation and sparks that damage the eyes and skin and are emitted by the arc. For extra protection for your ears, hair, and head I recommend wearing a welding cap under your helmet.

2.      Eye Protection:

Welders should always wear eye protection, including goggles or safety glasses with side shields. Don’t pick up just any safety glasses or goggles; your eye protection needs to meet the standards established by  American National Standards Institute Z87.

The ANSI provides certification for safety eyewear based on how it protects against specific hazards such as blunt impact, radiation, splashes, dust, and small particles. If you’re looking for a new pair of safety glasses, check out my article; in it, I cover the best safety glasses on the market.

3.      Respirators:

To ensure that the welders don’t inhale harmful fumes or gases that can have a detrimental effect on their health, respirators must be used. However, not all respirators are designed for every gas, so ensure you have the correct respirator for the fumes that are in your workspace.

4.      Flame Resistant Welding Gloves:

During welding, your hands are in the closest proximity to the arc so you need to wear gloves designed to protect your hands and lower arms from intense radiation, sparks, and the heat generated when welding.

5.      Protective Suits:

Since welders work in an environment where they are exposed to extreme temperatures, sparks, and flames, it is important to wear protective suits to protect their skin from burning. This is not the case for every shop or situation. My son welds wearing a heavy welding shirt, jeans, and square toe cowboy boots.

6.      Welding Specific Boots

Welding-specific boots are an essential piece of your work clothing as they protect the top of your feet from flames and sparks. Most leather work boots are fine to use when welding, but be aware that sparks are likely to fall on your feet and mark them.

Some welding boots come with a flap that covers the laces to prevent damaging them. One of my favorite pairs of work boots to wear when welding is the FSI Avenger Hammer 11″ Leather Soft Toe Puncture Resistant Waterproof EH Wellington Work Boot.

These Avenger Hammer boots are puncture-resistant, have non-slip soles, and are designed to protect the wearer from open electrical shock.

MIG Welding Safety Checklist

Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding is a process in which a solid wire electrode is supplied to the welding gun and pool for the purpose of joining materials. While MIG Welding is a little different from other types of welding, you are still recommended to follow proper safety precautions so you can reduce the risk significantly.

Here is a 7-Point MIG Welding Safety Checklist that you should follow to ensure safety.

1. Clean the workspace.
2. Remove any flammable liquid nearby.
3. Ensure proper ventilation.
4. Remove jewelry and lose items.
5. Inspect the gas lines.
6. Take precautions for avoiding electric shocks, noise hazards, UV and IR radiations, and fire.
7. End with proper post-operation.

Osha Welding Safety Checklist

Welding is a dangerous job, and it tends to pose both individual health and physical safety risks, which makes it essential to know the OSHA welding safety requirements and be vigilant with your inspection checklist forms.

Here is an overview of the Osha welding safety checklist.

1. Do the workers have the appropriate training to accomplish their jobs safely?
2. Is a brief on the hazards associated with specific jobs provided to the workers?
3. Are the workers following Osha welding clothing requirements properly?
4. Are Osha welding ventilation requirements being followed in areas where hot work is being done?
5. Are the stored cylinders secure and upright in a dry, fireproof, and ventilated room?
6. Will the cylinders be turned off after they are used?
7. Do the workers know that they aren’t supposed to use oxygen to blow away the dust?
8. Is smoking prohibited in areas where welding work is being done?
9. Are the atmosphere and temperature tested before entering any work zone and while the work is being done?
10. Has Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) been ensured?

Summing It Up

Welding is an attractive hobby for people who enjoy working with their hands, but many haven’t yet mastered the skills of commercial welders; this leads some aspiring welders into risky practices without considering how dangerous those actions might end up being later on down the line.

Welding happens to be a time-honored craft; however, whether you practice it as a profession or casually, you need to take specific measures to ensure safety. If the above-listed checklists are understood and followed correctly, you will likely encounter no issues during your work.

The use of a safety checklist has helped me ensure hazards are addressed and taken care of before any welding starts so you can avoid suffering an injury and keep on enjoying your trade or hobby.

Below is a YouTube video with welding safety tips for beginner welders.

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