• Last updated:2021-10-18

Fellow workers life and safety need to be cared for. According to the research on electric welding workers who are exposed to fumes of the heavy metals, which was carried out by the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, electric welding workers are often exposed to heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, manganese, nickel and chromium. This indicates that safety and prevention measures still require improvement. 

Questions such as ‘what kind of health risks are involved during the electric welding operation in a large boiler?’ ‘What kind of poisonous gas is released when welding aluminium with argon?’ often come up in the workers’ mind. Workers are all worried about their health; however channels for gaining information are very limited. The reasons are that there are many techniques of welding; and the information on exposure to vapours during electric welding cannot be attained by checking out the substance safety chart. Besides, the differences of purposes, tasks, materials and ventilation conditions involved during welding can greatly complicate the safety and health issues faced by the welders. The regulation of workers’ safety and health as such cannot be generalised. 

So how serious is the danger of heavy metals exposed to the welders? The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health points out that in general the vapour of welding consists of granular substances of iron, manganese and other non-crystallised metals. Chromium and nickel compounds appear in the vapour released during electric welding stainless steel. As for welding electroplated or paint sprayed surfaces, highly poisonous vapour can be released. Poisonous substances often exist in paint. For example, paint containing lead if commonly used during construction (such as on steel frames of a bridge) as a protecting coat. Paint containing zinc and cadmium are often used to prevent corruption (such as on the body of a ship or a tank or container). These listed above are what welders need to be careful of to prevent the dangerous substances that endanger their health. 

The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health also states that the previous surveys for the exposure to vapours released during electric welding show that the operations are normally carried out in confined spaces such as cabins of a ship, tanks or container, reverberatories and boilers. This means the exposure is even higher in these spaces. Therefore it is essential to improve the use of ventilation equipment. However when ideal ventilation cannot be achieved, workers must wear suitable welding masks to protect their health and safety.

• Source:
• Publication Date:2006-01-02
• Count Views: