SuPeRnOvA and SwEeTpAiN: A Shower of Sparks – Essential Protective Measures Every Welder Must Take | SuPeRnOvA and SwEeTpAiN
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A Shower of Sparks – Essential Protective Measures Every Welder Must Take

Welding doesn’t necessarily have to be dangerous. As long as you think about what you’re doing and use the right equipment then you should be able to minimize the risks. It’s important to get the right welding supplies (safety and other) for the job in hand. So what protection do you need for your next job?


Welding Helmets
There’s a good chance that you’ll be wearing your helmet for long periods of time, so comfort is going to be important. Look for ergonomically designed helmets that meet appropriate safety standards. It’s also a good idea to go for a helmet that has a high-impact rating as you’ll inevitably drop the thing at some point and you don’t want a helmet that’s going to shatter like a piece of glass the first time you drop it. Check out the lens technology used in the visor and whether the helmet has auto-darkening technology; an essential feature for reducing corneal flash burn (also known as welder’s flash or arc eye). You can head to sites like WIA to see a range of welding safety supplies and equipment.

Respirators
Everyone needs to breathe, even when they’re in the middle of a welding job so it makes sense to look at buying your respirator and helmet as one package – and this way you’re likely to save time and money during the shopping process. This option also ensures that the respirator will actually fit the helmet (a surprisingly common problem when buying the two separately). Ideally you want a respirator that has dual air speeds for comfort in different working conditions. It’s also important to check how long the battery is going to last on a single charge because it’s no good buying a cheap respirator that needs charging every ten minutes - and while you’re at it, look at how long it’s going to take for the battery to charge. Like the helmet, you’ll be wearing the respirator for long periods of time, so ensure it’s fitted with a comfortable harness that distributes the weight evenly.

Gloves, overalls and boots
Personal protection equipment (PPE) is essential when welding and it’s not something where cheap is necessarily best. Buying quality PPE is vital. It’s that simple. Ideally gloves should be made from quality leather and sewn with heat-resistant thread. They should also be fully lined with thumb and knuckle guards as standard. Be sure to check that reinforced palms are included as these areas are usually the first to go. It’s practically a guarantee that the one inch of skin that’s exposed will be the one place where the spark or splash landing. Ensure complete protection with all over, flame-retardant overalls. You may want to go for ones with internal knee-pads if your work requires a lot of kneeling. It’s never a good idea to weld wearing open-toed sandals. A rogue spark or splash can easily cause a painful burn so get some steel-capped work boots; these will also protect you from the pain of a crushed toe if you happen to drop your welding torch.

What tools do you swear by to complete a welding job? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.

5 comments:

  1. Your post reminds me of my late BIL. We used to watched him work at his auto body shop with his men doing some painting and welding on cars.

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  2. nice tips here! my dad have all the gears back in Philippines! I did try to use and do weldings before too! must have strong arms i must say

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  3. I have not tried welding and would probably leave that to the experts. Thanks for the informative post. I wish the welders here in the Philippines would use more of these safety supplies.

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  4. I remember when I was young, I was so afraid to get near a welder doing his job. That's because I'm afraid of the sparks hitting me. That welder was wearing a protective helmet, but he didn't have a respirator and gloves. He should have requested for those items from his employer so as not to compromise his safety.

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  5. We also have welding gears at our workplace since my dad and younger brothers do welding jobs.

    ReplyDelete

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