Ensuring safety for welders

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.