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Welding Safety Equipment

Author: Paul Purczel
by Paul Purczel
Posted: May 24, 2018

Welding can be a quite dangerous task, Molten metal, noxious fumes and scathing ultraviolet and infrared light which can not only severely damage your eyes but you can even end up burning yourself. It doesn't matter if you are a professional welder or just some rookie when it comes to welding, all precautions are the same for the people who weld and the precautions must be taken to prevent serious injuries. Special equipment specifically designed for the purpose of welding can be found in places where another welding related stuff is available. You must spend that extra buck for the safety measures. It might seem a lot but it can prevent something that might require a lot more money than what you will spend for the precautionary purpose.

Now when it comes to safely welding, the very first and the most important thing you need is a helmet, not a regular helmet of course. When it comes to welding helmets, there is a decent variety and choosing the correct helmet with the right shading can be quite useful. To choose perfect helmet one should first go for a shading through which the welding arc can be invisible then buy a helmet with one shade lighter than that so that it will provide you visibility along with protection. Welding produces Ultraviolet rays which can cause retinal damage and even cataracts. So helmet on its own is not enough, safety visors or goggles with protective sides should be worn underneath.

Next comes the clothing. Fire resistant clothing is also a need, not a choice. You cannot wear normal clothes with synthetic fiber. It will catch fire with just a few sparks. Burns are the most common injury when it comes to welding and to prevent or to reduce that, clothing with thick, natural material like wool or cotton with little to no fluff to extremely minimize the risks. The clothing must be with full sleeves tucked into the gloves leaving no skin exposed. Welding jackets are a great option to go for since they have a great fire-resistant material and it must fit properly and it must be comfortable for the wearer. Jackets have always been used for this purpose over the past so many years and it does provide impressive protection but it gets really hot. Aprons can also be worn for more protection considering chest and legs and if paired with leather sleeves and flame resistant shirt, it can be quite a perfect combo.

Gloves are essential when it comes to welding. You can't weld without gloves and owning a pair of good quality gloves means a lot. It not just protects you from the burns and cuts but also prevents you from getting electrocuted to a fair extent. Gloves must be of a thicker, flame-resistant fabric. In some cases like in MIG welding gloves with the reflective coating are used to deal with the heat of welding heavy plates.

When it comes to processes like arc welding, the welders are subjected to various types of oxides. With their particles being fairly small, it possesses a huge danger if proper ventilation is not available. Even though usually welding produces gases like carbon dioxide and ozone but still improper ventilation can be quite fatal so respirators are a great accessory to own when it comes to welding since it shields you from fumes and oxides.

Leather boots that are sturdy and fairly high providing a decent ankle coverage are highly recommended. Now if you are a temporary welder opting out for spats might be a better option since they are cheaper than the leather boots specifically manufactured for the purpose of welding.

Ears should be covered too since sometimes the noise made while welding can be a bit too loud resulting in damage to ears such that you might not be able to hear at a normal intensity. To prevent or minimize that, noise-canceling ear protectors are suggested which will not only protect your hearing ability but will also provide protection from the sparks. Welding beanies can also be used to protect your ears but opting out for the ear protectors is a much better option.

About the Author

Adelaide based writer focused on providing informative articles about a wide range of interesting topics from marketing, accounting, SEO to home improvement.

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Author: Paul Purczel

Paul Purczel

Member since: Mar 27, 2018
Published articles: 9

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