Most Common Welding Hazards and Effective Precautions

by Ryan M. Blogger

The method of joining two metals together by using heat and pressure is called welding. The number of welding process has been drastically increased while according to sources the demand is more likely to raise by over 25%. Since the future of welding is bright, there is also a good rise of welding jobs and welding machine manufacturers in India. If you are looking for career in welding line (in organisation or self-employed), you need to be well aware of the hazards related to welding and also know the precautions to ensure maximum safety while working.

Without safety, you cannot work with precision and efficiently. Hence before starting your welding work, you need to take good training on safety or at least know everything that is necessary to keep yourself secured.

Here in this article we will talk about general risks and hazards involved in welding and safety precautions.

Electric shocks:

Shock is most common and serious hazard while working in welding environment. Since you will be working with live electrical circuits, you are likely at risk if you don’t ensure safety. Electrical shocks can be really dangerous and can cause serious injuries, fatalities or even worse. Usually you are at maximum risk when you are working in damp conditions, wearing wet clothing or working with wet hands, when you perform welding on metal flooring or in cramped conditions. The best way to keep yourself safe is by wearing welding shoes and gloves which will prevent you from major electric shocks.

Exposure to fumes:

The fumes and gases released while welding contains hazardous elements like ozone, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide which can affect the lungs and respiratory organs. Prolonged exposure to such harmful fumes and gases can result in health issues like lung infection, asthma, pneumonia, metal fume fever or even to the worse cause cancer. Use proper respirator to protect yourself from breathing the harmful gases. Ensure there is proper ventilation in your working space so that the impure gases and particles can be blown away. However both ventilation and respirator is essential for healthy and safe welding environment.

Burns:

The high-temperature of the arc welding and UV rays from sparks both can cause major burns on your skin and also affect your eyes badly. The burns can happen so fast that you won’t even understand. It can be minor to very worse. To prevent the burns, it’s ideal and frankly should be mandatory to wear fire-resistant clothes. Always wear full sleeves and full trouser to avoid any sort of exposure. Wearing boots and gloves goes without saying. To shield your eyes from the heat and ultraviolet radiations wear safety glasses. Welding helmet will also protect your eyes from rays, chemical burns and harmful particles. Do not fold your sleeves or trousers up as the molten metal can get stuck in the folds and cause severe burns.

Performing welding work safely by undertaking effective precautions will make your job fun and interesting rather than risky and health-threatening.