Modern technical progress in the industry is inextricably linked with the improvement of welding production. Welding is widely used in the manufacture of metallurgical, chemical, and power equipment, various pipelines, mechanical engineering, and building. At the same time, welders work under challenging conditions associated with exposure to several harmful factors, including an unfavorable microclimate at the workplace, noise, heat radiation, and fibrogenic dust. Moreover, electric welders are also at risk of electric shock. Since these hazards can lead to burns, injury, or death, there is a need for personal protective equipment when welding to help eliminate the risks that employees face during their working day.
Safety precautions provide for the use of mandatory equipment items, without which the welder should not be allowed to manufacture. These include flame retardant clothing and footwear, a welding helmet, hand shield, goggles, respirator, and earmuffs. Arezes (2019) notes that overalls must protect against ultraviolet and infrared radiation and molten metal splashes. When working in high humidity conditions, protective dielectric mats, gloves, and galoshes are used, which protect against electric shock. In turn, welding masks protect the face and neck skin, minimize the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation on the retina, and prevent sharp-cutting dust from entering the eyes. Respirators, filtering gas masks, and self-contained breathing systems are used to protect organs. When working in noisy environments, such as plasma cutting of metal, when the plasma jet reaches a high speed, or when processing seams, it is necessary to use hearing protection, such as earmuffs. Thus, the use of personal protective equipment is a crucial safety measure when working with welding.
There are many reasons for accidents and injuries. Sparks quickly burn all types of fabric, except for special ones, hot and poisonous vapors rise from the incandescent metal, and working welding equipment generates high-level noises. Moreover, the operation of electric arc welding emits blinding light and infrared and ultraviolet radiation. Failure to follow the safety instructions when working with welding can lead to many injuries. These include electric shock, electric arc damage to the eyes and exposed surfaces of the body, poisoning with toxic gases and vapors, and body burns from molten metal splashes. If safety precautions are not followed, Welding work can cause several diseases and injuries, including electrophthalmia, characterized by a significant decrease in visual acuity, pneumoconiosis, dust bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and various respiratory diseases, manganese intoxication, and eczema. According to Vendan et al. (2018), electric shock and poisoning with poisonous gases and vapors are the most significant dangers. Thus, welding can cause serious harm to the body, so workers must use high-quality personal protective equipment to prevent it.
Safety precautions when performing welding work must be observed to eliminate the likelihood of injury. Its features include the prohibition of welding in rain and snow since high humidity causes an increase in electrical conductivity. According to Vendan et al. (2018), it is also forbidden to work in wet clothes and various protective elements since their electrical conductivity enhance significantly, due to which the likelihood of electric shock increases. When working at height, the welder should use mounting belts. Safety precautions involve the use of special equipment that is designed for such an application. To protect the body from burns, the primary protective measure is the use of particular clothing and shoes, which must be fully functional and protect absolutely all body parts. The welder must wear specific clothing made of dense fabric and impregnated with a refractory compound. Therefore, special protections that are resistant to hot metal, dust, noise, and electric current must always be used to prevent injury during welding.
To prevent the possibility of injury during welding, special training is required based on an analysis of the working conditions. When choosing a helmet, mask, or goggles, it is essential to remember the separation of products for gas and electric welding. Arezes (2019) asserts that masks and goggles used for working with gas equipment should not be used for electric welding. In turn, electric welding eye PPE is considered universal and suitable for any work. As for gloves, the main criterion for their selection is the material. There are tarpaulin and leather gloves, but split leather remains the best option since a single-layer tarp cannot always protect hands from hot splashes adequately. In turn, when electric arc welding of ceiling seams or semi-automatic welding in an environment of carbon dioxide, ordinary workwear is not enough. In addition to gloves, asbestos oversleeves must be worn, tightly tying them at the elbows. Therefore, the employee must prepare for welding work using personal protective equipment, depending on the type of welding and the working conditions.
As already mentioned, the choice of personal protective equipment depends on the specific situation and the conditions for performing welding work. As an example, consider electrical safety, which prevents even the accidental possibility of electric shock to the welder. In this situation, the primary condition for work is the use of overalls, including gloves made of spark-resistant materials and shoes made of leather and felt. When working inside or outside the vessel in a seated, recumbent, or reclining position, use a rubber mat or dry wood flooring. Arezes (2019) recommends choosing a mask with automatic adjustment of the visor transparency. Since it only dims when the arc is struck, it provides comfort and improves welding performance. Respiratory protection is also vital when working with the release of harmful gases, including oxides of zinc, lead, cadmium, and manganese. In such cases, respirators are used that are compatible with welding masks and are comfortable to work with. Moreover, in this case, welding in the rain or snow is prohibited. Thus, depending on the conditions of welding, the choice of personal protective equipment will be different.
Therefore, when fulfilling the job description requirements, welders risk getting burned to the skin or cornea, inhaling tiny particles of metal, or suffering from high voltage. To protect their life and health, it is necessary to use special personal protective equipment. These include specialized clothing and footwear, face protection, hand equipment, and respiratory PPE. Overalls will protect the welder’s skin from high temperatures and mechanical influences, dielectric shoes and gloves will prevent electrical injury, a visor will save eyesight, and a respirator will prevent the development of bronchial asthma. PPE selection is based on welding methods, working conditions, and hazardous and harmful production factors. Moreover, to not get injured during the welding process, it is necessary to observe safety precautions strictly. Since each type of welding has its characteristics and hazards, the welder’s safety largely depends on the worker’s knowledge. Before starting to work with welding equipment, it is necessary to carefully study its structure and rules for working with gas burners, compressed air cylinders, and electrical appliances.
Works Cited
Arezes, Pedro, editor. Advances in Safety Management and Human Factors: Proceedings of the AHFE 2019 International Conference on Safety Management and Human Factors, 2019, Washington D.C., USA. Springer International Publishing, 2019.
Vendan, S. Arungalai, et al. Interdisciplinary Treatment to Arc Welding Power Sources. Springer Singapore, 2018.