There are many dangers related to welding jobs that can put the safety of any human being at risk.

When welding is carried out, smoke, toxic gas, noise, electric shocks, and sparks are produced, which could cause serious burns to the skin and eyes. Similarly, these risks could create respiratory diseases, intoxication, hearing loss and affections to various organs.

Recommendations for welding operations

Being aware of the risks is the key to avoiding harm to the health of welding workers. Here are some recommendations that decrease the probability of unexpected accidents occurring when working with welding:

• Weld only in wide, dry areas.
• There must be good ventilation in the area where you are going to work.
• It must be verified before starting work that there are no flammable substances near the work area.
• The worker should have a fire extinguisher on hand as a precaution in case of an emergency.
• Welding cables must be inspected for any evidence of wear and tear. The whole welding equipment must be in good condition.
• Every welding worker must have previous training and must know the use of the equipment and its associated dangers.

Protective clothing for welding work

The worker must always use the appropriate clothing, which must have the following characteristics:

• Avoid wearing wet or damp clothing.
• Wear pants without kinks.
• Avoid wearing clothing or gloves that are too big for the worker.
• Use garments made with special anti-spark materials. We recommend the use of leather and / or jean clothing.
• Never wear clothing made of synthetic materials such as polyester or nylon, which could melt on your skin.
• Protective clothing must be inspected before being used, verifying that they do not have holes and / or breaks.
• Keep pockets empty and closed.

Personal protective equipment for welding work

In addition to protective clothing, the worker must compulsorily use personal protective equipment, such as:

• Special masks or respirators for welding fumes, seeking to protect the respiratory tract.
• Wear welding helmets and special gloves that avoid sparks, hot splashes and ultraviolet and light radiation.
• Use special welding helmets and caps, which provide protection to the head, especially if you are working under machinery.
• Depending on the type of work to be performed, you must use earplugs.
• The worker must wear comfortable safety footwear, which is manufactured with materials resistant to welding sparks, which offers ankle protection and is certified against electrical risk.

Calzados Sicura models 6500 and 6830 are special for welding work.

Both are half-round shoes with a tubular shape of their upper, without laces.

They are made of high-quality cowhide leather, resistant to welding spark.

In addition, they are certified against electrical risk for DC direct current at 30kV with leakage current not greater than 50 micro Ampere (µA) and test voltage of 14 kV for AC alternating current with leakage current less than or equal to 3 milli Ampere (mA ).

For more information go to our PRODUCTS section

Source: Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA