More evidence welding fumes affect employees’ health

People exposed to welding fumes are more likely to suffer from different types of cancer than the ones not exposed to particles. Dr. Denitza Blagev, a researcher at the University of Utah and Intermountain Medical Centre in Murray, Utah, states that welding fumes are considered carcinogenic to people.

The Occupational and Environmental Medicine conducted a study in May 2019 to better understand the effects of welding fumes on workers’ health. For the study they have checked the data from more than 45 studies previously published with more than 17 million participants. The conclusion is that the employees who expose themselves to welding fumes for a long period are 45% more likely to suffer from lung cancer. The health problems the employees can experience highly depend on the composition of the fumes they get in touch with, but most of them are carcinogenic or toxic.

Why are welding fumes dangerous for the human health?

During the welding process multiple components form, and the most common ones are ambient air, contamination air, inert gases, and basic and supplementary materials. Welding includes numerous other processes, like combustion, decomposition, condensation, evaporation and condensation. According to the steps followed and the materials used, the hazardous particles can come in three types: carcinogen substances, poisonous substances and respiratory and lung damaging substances.

When people expose themselves for a long period to high concentrations of these substances, they put a strain on their lungs and respiratory system and they can suffer from health problems like bronchitis, obstructive bronchitis and lungs cancer.

Sometimes, not only the vapours they breathe in are dangerous for their health, but also the dust deposits formed during the process. If the employees are using iron oxides during welding, dust deposits can settle in their lungs. When this happens, they can experience fibrogenic reactions in their lungs.

Some of the substances that affect people’s health are:

• Titanium dioxide leads to health problems to brain, heart, kidneys, spleen and liver, a decline of the immune system, and dust deposits in the lungs
• Magnesium oxide causes impaired lung function, allergies, sweats, fever and tickle in the throat
• Aluminium oxide is the main factor for aluminosis
• Iron oxides can lead to diabetes, impotence, heart issues, joint problems, and lung siderosis

Some of the hazardous substances produced in the welding process can be fatal for workers

The toxic particles found in welding fumes are toxic for human health. Their concentration determines how bad they damage body cells. While minimum poisonous substances can cause minor health issues, large concentrations can be fatal for workers. It all depends on the compounds and on the doses the employees are involuntary taking. This is a list of the most toxic substances found in welding fumes, and the health conditions they cause:

• Phosgene that can lead to pulmonary oedema and respiratory system irritation
• Carbon dioxide causes headaches, breathing problems and unconsciousness
• Carbon Monoxide stops blood oxygenation and makes people experience symptoms like headaches, fatigue, dizziness, fainting, increased pulse, and breathing
• Nitrogen oxides irritate the respiratory system and often cause shortness of breath
• Copper oxide can cause liver and kidneys problems, metal fume fever, painful eyes and diarrhoea
• Zinc oxide is the main factor for zinc fever because once the particles get in the lungs, they generate necrosis
• Manganese oxide irritates the respiratory system and it can lead to Parkinson, pneumonia and nervous system problems.

These substances are fatal for the humans because they generate malignant tumours. Even if some of them aren’t fatal, they have a hazardous effect for the human health. Generally, the cancer risk grows according to how long people expose themselves to toxic substances, their genetic predisposition and lifestyle. However, a prolonged exposure to welding fumes boosts the chances to develop cancer. The World Health Organisation states that welders experience a high risk of lung cancer.

How can employers reduce and minimise workers’ exposure to welding fumes?

The only way to prevent all the above health problems is to minimise the exposure to these toxic substances. Companies should follow some strict guidelines to reduce the exposure to these toxic particles. According to the workplace conditions, the equipment the employees should wear may differ. It’s the employer’s role to identify the proper equipment their workers need to wear to protect their health.

It’s important to note that even if some companies decide to complete the welding process outdoors, it doesn’t make it safer because fresh air doesn’t provide proper ventilation. Companies are advised to install a local exhaust ventilation system to remove the toxic substances from their premises. They have to collaborate with an experienced welding fume extraction systems provider to find out what equipment they need to use according to their specific needs. For some plants, it’s enough every one of the workers to use a portable vacuum extraction exhaust system to extract the fumes.

The maximum permissible exposure limit is 5 mg/m3. If the workers expose themselves to more fumes, they are at risk of suffering the above health problems.

However, studies show that most of the workers in plants expose themselves daily from 20 to 1,000 times the limit every day. Why? Because many companies do not consider a priority to comply with the legal requirements, and to keep their employees safe. Some of them think that if they keep the building’s windows open and if they use fans, they stop hazardous substances from affecting their workers. This is a common misconception and it deeply affects people’s health.

The fumes have to be removed at the source to prevent this problem, and employers can do it if they invest in a reliable exhaust unit that removes the fumes. On the market, companies can find portable devices that guarantee 99% efficiency and need minimal maintenance.

When the extraction system is not effective enough, companies can compensate by installing a top-notch ventilation system. Push/pull systems are the best choice in this situation.

As this article shows, welding fumes can be fatal for workers, and it’s crucial for companies to understand the risk and to stop it.

Cynthia Madison is a young blogger and economics and marketing graduate. She writes about home, lifestyle and family topics and is a senior contributor to popular niche publications.