Hazards and Safety Precautions for Workers Working as Welders

Welders face a number of hazards that can be very dangerous. The exposure to welding fumes causes a number of health problems. The fumes can cause ill health when they enter the lungs, bloodstream and brain nerve cells.

Electric shock is another major hazard that a welder faces. The shock can lead to serious injury or even death. Due to the extreme temperature that welding creates, there is significant risk of fire and explosion in the workplace. The intense heat created near the arc and the heat, sparks and spatter created by the arc can result in fire. Not using personal protective equipment or insufficient personal protective equipment can result in injuries and burns. Burns are the most common type of welding injury.

Safety of the welders is the most important consideration of any project. Spreading awareness of the most common hazards in welding and educating and equipping the welders to avoid the hazards will help in creating a safe and productive work place. The most important aspects of safety is the right personal protective equipment and the right training. Wearing the right personal protective equipment not only protects the welder from injuries and burns, but also helps in freedom of movement. Accidents mostly occur due to carelessness and lack of knowledge of the products. The next important step is to read and understand the safe data sheets provided by the manufacturers and have a thorough knowledge of the products and the safety precautions related to them. Only approved welding equipment which are kept in good condition should be used. When not in use the equipment should be disconnected from the source of power to avoid electric shocks. If the equipments are portable, they should be placed in such a way that they do not hinder movement of the workers and thus avoid accidents. Following a few simple rules and tips will help in avoiding big hazards.

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Pros and Cons of Welding

Welding is used for joining two metal pieces. There are different types of welding and each of them has their own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Welding when used in construction sites is responsible for the durability of the joints. It is a dependable, efficient and economic method of joining metals. The welded joints last for years and can withstand a lot of harsh conditions. They have great strength. The welded joints have low initial cost and can be repaired easily. Welding is a very versatile process and can be applied to many applications. There is wide range of electrodes to choose from. The equipment used are very simple and portable. Welding is a process which delivers high quality output with minimal operator skills. Some types of welding are suitable for welding thick sections also and the fumes released are minimal. The metal deposition rate is high. Welding is a very simple process and requires minimal training, supervision and logistics. Gas welding is used to weld thin sections and delicate work-spaces. This type of welding produces welds of exotic appearance and high quality.

While welding is a process with many advantages and uses, it has a few drawbacks as well. The welding process which uses electrodes is not as productive as the continuous wire process. The welder has to stop frequently to change the electrodes. There is a lot of metal wastage in the form of electrode stubs. The welder cannot see the welding process and hence cannot judge the process accurately. Gas welding becomes difficult in windy areas and shielding will be required in such circumstances. Arc welding is limited to areas where the atmosphere is stable. The arc welding requires high maintenance costs due to the electronic components involved in the process.

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