There are many products on the market to keep welders
safe. Here, Jenny Sims, product manager at Arco, offers her
insight to choosing appropriate protection

Eye, face and head protection
In all types of welding work your head and
face is at risk from a range of hazards but
these can be properly protected against with
suitable personal protective equipment (PPE)
such as a helmet with filter lenses or goggles
or safety glasses. Approved safety glasses or
goggles will protect your eyes against flying
metal, slag chips and other similar hazards.

Welding helmets and shields with filter
lenses should be worn to protect the head
and face.

Each item should be chosen based on
individual use. Choosing light weight,
ergonomically designed products allows for
better accuracy and precision when working
with most arc welding processes including
working in restricted spaces. There are some
products on the market now, including
welding eyewear with grey filters from uvex,
that allow perfect colour recognition, losing
the traditional ‘green’ vision. Helmets with
filters that darken automatically when
striking the arc are also available.

Respiratory protection
Welders are at risk of welding fumes, gases
and vapours that can cause lasting lung
damage if not correctly protected against.

Current legislation specifies that employers
have a responsibility to provide suitable
respiratory protection to employees where it
is required, to provide training and maintain
the equipment in good order. There is a
variety of respiratory protection equipment
available, from powered respirators and
supplied air systems to disposable valved
respirators; however the type of product
required will depend on the conditions and
the environment for its intended use.

Body protection
A full body covering made from flameresistant
material is essential when welding
to protect the skin. Clothing should be
selected to suit the level, duration and
purpose of the welding activity and should
meet EN ISO 11611:2007, the workwear
standard for welding clothing. Under this
new standard clothing should be tested for
vertical anti-static, along with the clothing
seams also being tested for anti-static and
flame spread.

Welding clothing must also be tested
after the maximum number of laundry
cycles a garment manufacturer states, to
ensure it is still safe and fit for purpose. No
matter what level of protection required,
each garment should be made of a flameresistant
material to ensure it does not
ignite.

Foot protection
Correct foot protection is essential to protect
feet and ankles from hot sparks or falling
objects. Leather gaiters are available which
can be strapped around the trouser legs and
boot tops to prevent injury and burns. You
should look for safety footwear that has been
designed to protect the wearer from antistatic
properties along with shock
absorption, cushion comfort and heat
resistance to 300°C, quick release fasteners
and has been approved to EN ISO 20345.

Hand protection
Hands are at the front line when welding
and are at risk of burns, sparks, heat cuts,
scratches and electric shock. It is
important that all welders wear dry, holefree,
flame-resistant and insulated welding
gloves or gauntlets that are in good
condition. When choosing protection, look
out for gloves that offer comfort, dexterity,
high performance and a robust wear.

Gloves that have been fully welted with no
exposed seams to burn, stitched with
Kevlar stitching, plus a variety of linings
including sheepskin and cotton are now
available.

Workplace safety
Protecting yourself and employees extends
beyond PPE. There is a range of welding
products available to keep your workplace
safe and compliant such as welding
curtains, heat resistant welding cloths and
spark-safe anti-fatigue mats that you can
purchase from a reputable safety
equipment distributor such as Arco which
has recently refreshed its welding range
that includes head to toe protection as well
as workplace safety and factory equipment
products.