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Ultimate Guide to Welding Safety

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In this article we would like to inform you about the possible dangers during welding. Do-it-yourselfers and hobby welders in particular are not always aware of them.

Often you simply buy a welding machine, plug it in and get started without being informed about the dangers of welding.

We have briefly summarised the most well-known dangers in welding for you. Because you can only avoid dangers that you know.

The 5 major dangers in welding

Explosion and fire hazard

This is mainly due to leaking hoses and pipes, causing fuel gas and oxygen to escape unintentionally, but also to inadequate fire protection measures in the workplace.

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Therefore, before welding, make sure that there are no flammable materials in the vicinity and, when welding, first check that everything is tight and that no gas escapes at the wrong place.

Electrical hazard

There is also a very high risk during welding, especially when working with electric welding equipment, as the electrical insulation is interrupted at the welding point. You should therefore not touch the electrode.

Also ensure proper insulation from the floor, the welding equipment and the workpiece. Suitable protective clothing and an insulating mat can help.

Pollutant hazard

Further dangers during welding arise from harmful substances. There are many different pollutants that have different effects on health. The extent to which these are harmful to health depends on the welding process and the area of application.

For example, welding work with metallically coated steels produces substances that are particularly harmful to health. If possible, keep the welding voltage and current low, as this minimises the emission of pollutants, and ensure a well-ventilated environment.

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Danger from optical radiation

Arc welding produces radiation with a dangerous UV component. This can cause damage to unprotected skin areas, such as the face, neck or hands. The eyes are particularly affected.

The UV rays can lead to conjunctivitis. If your eyes are exposed to these rays for a longer period of time, in the worst case it can lead to blindness.

Ensure adequate protective clothing and especially proper eye protection.

Risk to hearing due to noise

Depending on what kind of welding equipment you have, you should also not underestimate the noise level. Above a noise level of 85 dB it becomes dangerous for the human hearing. If your welding equipment makes too much noise, you should consider wearing hearing protection.

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You can see that there are some dangers in welding. To keep all of them in mind and to control everything, we recommend the following:

Before each welding job, briefly assess in your mind the possible dangers of your working environment. In this way you can identify and eliminate some risk factors in advance and know what you should pay attention to when welding. This only takes a few seconds and also provides more safety.

These were the greatest dangers in welding. Always keep your eyes open and check everything just before work, then nothing should go wrong. We wish you a safe “welding time”.

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