An introduction to the health hazards caused by welding - and how they can be controlled. From the #breathefreely in manufacturing initative

1. www.breathefreely.org.uk www.bohs.org
Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING

2. www.breathefreely.org.uk www.bohs.org
Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Welding is one of the most common
activities carried out in industry

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
HSE estimate that there are at least
190,000 welders in the UK

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Health Hazards
There are a number of health hazards associated
with welding

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Health Hazards
There are a number of health hazards associated
with welding in particular:

6. www.breathefreely.org.uk www.bohs.org
Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Health Hazards
There are a number of health hazards associated
with welding in particular:
• Fume
• Gases
• UV radiation

7. www.breathefreely.org.uk www.bohs.org
Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
The main health hazard with many
welding operations is the welding fume

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Welding fume is made up of fine particles
of metal oxides

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
The composition depends on type of
metal being welded

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Health
Concerns

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Metal Fume Fever
Pneumonia
Asthma, COPD
Metal Dusts
Lung Cancers

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Welding Fume
152 deaths from cancer every year

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Welding Fume
• Pneumonia
• Metal fume fever
• COPD
• Asthma

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Welding Fume
Nickel and Chromium (in stainless steel)
–Cancer
–Asthma

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Welding Fume
–Neurological
effects
Manganese (in many welding rods)

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Many welders are exposed unnecessarily
to welding fume

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Control measures are available – but
it’s important to make sure the right
controls are used

18. www.breathefreely.org.uk www.bohs.org
Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Controlling
Welding Fume

19. www.breathefreely.org.uk www.bohs.org
Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
This is probably the most common type of control measure used
for welding – a moveable arm or “elephant’s trunk”

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
They can be effective at controlling welding fumes
– but they are not always suitable

22. Moveable arms require careful
positioning so that the fume is captured
effectively

23. This is better
But can we rely on workers to move the
arm as the work progresses?

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
With MIG welding on-torch extraction
can be used

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
If properly set up this can be very effective
as it captures the fume at source

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
With smaller components, carrying out the work on
an extraction work bench will often be the most
effective way of controlling the fume

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
The fume is drawn away from the welder and the
extraction does not need to be moved

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Respiratory protection should always be the last
resort, but may be needed for some types of work

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Controlling exposures to prevent
occupational lung disease in
MANUFACTURING
Powered devices which are built into the welding
visor are likely to be most effective

30. in partnership with
sponsored by
Breathe Freely in Manufacturing

31. • Fact sheets
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• Case Studies
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