Welding

On average, welders are more likely than any employee in Sweden to be injured during work. Even the most skilled welders must protect themselves from risks such as welding fumes, sparks, heavy lifting and awkward body positions. Prolonged inhalation of welding fumes can lead to diseases such as cancer and pulmonary edema, but even short-term exposure can negatively impact health. By taking the right measures and using personal protective equipment, these risks can be minimized.

Active welding protection

The following provide a good foundation for protecting yourself while welding:

Use personal protection
With the right respiratory and eye protection, you minimize the risks of welding fumes, arcs and sparks.

Dress appropriately
Always wear protective garments that are CE-marked in accordance with the rules that apply to welding. Your hands are particularly exposed, so always use gloves and spats to protect from welding sparks.

Perform checks frequently
All protective equipment must be checked at regular intervals to ensure it offers adequate protection. Wash garments as necessary to remove flammable substances that could be ignited by sparks generated during welding.

Protective equipment against welding injuries

Here you will find products that protect you against welding injuries.

Frequently asked questions about welding

Here you will find questions and answers relating to welding, what applies and how to protect yourself, etc.

Contact

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What is welding?

Most of us have probably seen the characteristic glow and heard the unique noises of someone welding. It usually involves joining two metals together using heat, but other materials can also be welded, such as plastics. There are also a number of different welding methods, such as MIG/MAG, TIG, MMA, gas, etc.

What are the risks involved with welding?

The fumes generated during welding are the greatest health risk associated with welding. The longer you are exposed to the fumes, the greater the risk of falling ill. The particles released during welding are microscopic and find their way far down into the airways and lungs. In the short term, this can lead to irritation of the eyes and airways, fluid in the lungs and a flu-like condition known as metal fume fever. If you are exposed to welding fumes for a long time, your risk of contracting lung cancer increases by up to 40%. Damage to the central nervous system is also associated with inhaling welding fumes.

Looking directly into the electric arc without protection is a risk that can have a life-long impact. Getting welding splatter in your eyes or on your skin is another potential risk when welding.

Welding often involves awkward body positioning and heavy work, which puts strain on the body and can shorten the time you are able to work.

The risk of fire is always present when welding. The welding flame and sparks easily ignite flammable materials. If you will perform flammable hot work at a temporary workplace, serve as fire watch or issue permits, you are required to have adequate knowledge and be qualified. The Hot Work course can provide you with this.

Industries/areas commonly at risk in welding

Most welders are employed in the engineering industry, at construction or civil engineering companies, contracting companies, in the manufacturing industry, forging workshops and as maintenance or repair personnel in various industries.

Statistics Sweden shows that there are about 20,000–25,000 people who have welder as their job title. But a whole quarter of a million people occasionally weld at work! Welding is also included as a work task in many professions. Statistics Sweden has identified 20 professions where it is included to a certain extent, much of which is performed at temporary workplaces where Hot Work training is required.

How to protect yourself when welding

Respiration

One option is a welding helmet or a face shield with a facepiece. Their air ventilation systems provide good, clean air, protecting the welder from daily exposure to harmful toxic fumes and gas containing carcinogens. Such ventilation systems are called air purifying helmets. The system consists of a filter unit, a hose unit and a helmet. Respiration systems for welding have an official classification based on the level of protection they provide the welder, i.e. the degree to which they remove contaminated air in the welding environment.

Eyes

Use effective and approved protection in the form of an approved welding helmet and welding lens filter. Welding helmets and face shields are worn for long periods of time. Their protection class, weight and balancing and setting options vary greatly, so it is important to choose an appropriate model with a level of protection that suits the application and individual conditions. Welding helmets and face shields with auto-darkening welding lens make work easier.

The rest of the body

Welding sparks can penetrate clothing and injure the skin. To avoid this, wear protective garments that cover you head to foot.

Feet, hands and arms

Gloves and spats protect against welding spatter that can cause injuries. Leather gloves provide good protection. However, never use gloves with rivets or metal parts that conduct heat.

Just as clothing is important for safety, choosing the right shoes is just as important. To avoid injury, it is important that your shoes provide stable support and have strong, non-slip rubber soles. Like the rest of your garments, your shoes should be fully covering to keep sparks from getting through. When it comes to work shoes, it is preferable to have steel toecaps, as they provide extra protection.

Torso

Use a leather apron to protect your torso. Your garments should also be made of a material that does not melt or ignite if sparks land on it. This also applies to undergarments.

Ears

Wear hearing protection to protect against noise as well as to prevent welding sparks from entering the ear canal.

Protective equipment summary

Welding shield, welding helmet, welding goggles
Respiratory protection
Protective garments suitable for hot work
Protective footwear suitable for hot work
Hearing protection
Welding gloves, sleeves, spats, cut-resistant gloves

What does the law say?

The employer has main responsibility for the work environment. Employees are obliged to be of assistance, follow the existing safety regulations and raise the alarm if they discover faults. The Swedish Work Environment Act applies to welding companies, as well as to all other workplaces.

For the customer's and the contractor’s insurance to apply, the work must be performed by trained and certified personnel in accordance with Hot Work – a concept covering anyone who in one way or another works with hot work at a temporary workplace.