Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi guys! I'm new to Welding and I currently do ARC Welding but I'm not a pro and I am just concerned about the safety of All types of Welding, I read that TIG welding emits radiation, toxic fumes, and heat. This is for me and my future employee's safety (I want to establish a fabrication company, start at a small business). I would really like any Safety Tips that you could kindly share to me.

If I wear full body protection, would I be safe from radiation? Would Heat resistant jacket and pants fully protect you from radiation? So basically Heat resistant Equipment would protect you from radiation? I am worried about cancer and don't want to get it. Here in the philippines I saw welding not wearing safety equipment, its not a standard here, they only wear safety helmets.

"What measures can protect skin from welding radiation?
Wear tightly woven work-weight fabrics to keep UV radiation from reaching your skin.

Button up your shirt to protect the skin on the throat and neck.
Wear long sleeves and pant legs.

Cover your head with a fabric cap to protect the scalp from UV radiation.
Protect the back of your head by using a hood.

Protect your face from UV radiation by wearing a tight-fitting, opaque welder's helmet.
Make sure that all fabric garments are resistant to spark, heat and flame. Keep the fabrics clean and free of combustible materials that could be ignited by a spark." source is from ccohs.ca

I'm just concerned that it doesn't say it will protect you fully for radiation even with full body gear.

Thank you!

I was down toward the Carib coast yesterday installing another entrance gate. It was 94-ish. I ran a bunch of 7018 at about 105 amps.Tank top,shorts, hiking boots, pipeliner helmet and a left handed glove(only one).
Been doing it for around 45 years. Lucky I guess.I suppose if I was in the land of duh fee I'd adhere to osha approved attire and slurp down the FDA's recommended amount of fluoride and chloramine laden water to stay hydrated and make sure and get a tetanus booster every week when I scratch myself. Weld on........
https://www.globalresearch.ca/28-signs- ... ma/5355280

The 2 types of radiation are ultra violet and heat.
The majority of the things you listed will stop both.
Welding in tropical areas is hot and sweaty and just damn uncomfortable,you can to a point get away with the shorts and tee shirt occasionally usually just tacking etc, I dont recommend it.
You being the future boss will get to call the shots regarding safety, its your bum on the line if someone gets hurt. You also need to mitigate heat stress etc.
Fumes, all welding processes produce them, none of them are good for you, ventilation, respirators and fume extraction will help mitigate those.
There is a lot of safety info out there, do your homework and work from there a lot will depend on local regulation and what sort of facilitates you are going to be working in.
I hope this helps.

ex framie wrote:The 2 types of radiation are ultra violet and heat.
The majority of the things you listed will stop both.
Welding in tropical areas is hot and sweaty and just damn uncomfortable,you can to a point get away with the shorts and tee shirt occasionally usually just tacking etc, I dont recommend it.
You being the future boss will get to call the shots regarding safety, its your bum on the line if someone gets hurt. You also need to mitigate heat stress etc.
Fumes, all welding processes produce them, none of them are good for you, ventilation, respirators and fume extraction will help mitigate those.
There is a lot of safety info out there, do your homework and work from there a lot will depend on local regulation and what sort of facilitates you are going to be working in.
I hope this helps.

Thank you! Thats reassuring to hear, I thought there was no way to avoid radiation, I will research more and when I find something interesting out of the ordinary I will post it, thank you!

Just pretend you don't want a sunburn and dress appropriately.

Often just a long sleeve cotton shirt is all that's needed.

When amps get high enough, a "sunburn" through a cotton shirt can occur.
It's happened to me with aluminum tig - burned my chest. So wear 2 layers or a welding shirt when it's like that.

Sunblock helps if tig welding since sparks won't be a problem.

I've often just worn a button up cotton shirt for stick welding or mig welding when it's not above chest level.

Inhaling dangerous stuff is another matter. Fumes can be controlled, masks can be worn.

I've made enough safety errors in my few years to always make sure I'm covered. I wear all leather jacket whenever I'm doing most welding besides tig that is out of position. If I'm doing a whole lot of light mig or bench work than a light cotton jacket. Safety glasses obviously, and as I see it never cheap out an anything safety especially helmets.

MinnesotaDave wrote:Just pretend you don't want a sunburn and dress appropriately.

Often just a long sleeve cotton shirt is all that's needed.

When amps get high enough, a "sunburn" through a cotton shirt can occur.
It's happened to me with aluminum tig - burned my chest. So wear 2 layers or a welding shirt when it's like that.

Sunblock helps if tig welding since sparks won't be a problem.

I've often just worn a button up cotton shirt for stick welding or mig welding when it's not above chest level.

Inhaling dangerous stuff is another matter. Fumes can be controlled, masks can be worn.

Farmwelding wrote:I've made enough safety errors in my few years to always make sure I'm covered. I wear all leather jacket whenever I'm doing most welding besides tig that is out of position. If I'm doing a whole lot of light mig or bench work than a light cotton jacket. Safety glasses obviously, and as I see it never cheap out an anything safety especially helmets.

Thank you for the helpful tip That would be my #1 safety rule when welding. That would explain why I got a fever on my first time of welding, I didn't wear any safety gear. Thanks guys!

....and use a fabric or leather throat protector, attaches to bottom of helmet
to stop UV on exposed throat. There's a good bit in incidental bounce/reflection
coming off the arc, table, workpiece, etc.; which can directly or indirectly irradiate
any exposed skin.

I know this response isn't exactly welding, but a few years ago I picked up one of those Evolution rage saws. To anyone that is thinking about buying one..... I bought this saw for a short project I needed to cut/weld/cut etc etc. I must say, that saw needs to be respected. No joke. I was cranking away, and got a little cocky cutting some tubing that just couldn't be clamped 100%. So I decided to "hold" the piping while cutting. Yeah, maybe someone will see this and not lose a hand or something. I was fortunate, but needed to sit down after that episode.

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HoodLyfe wrote:I know this response isn't exactly welding, but a few years ago I picked up one of those Evolution rage saws. To anyone that is thinking about buying one..... I bought this saw for a short project I needed to cut/weld/cut etc etc. I must say, that saw needs to be respected. No joke. I was cranking away, and got a little cocky cutting some tubing that just couldn't be clamped 100%. So I decided to "hold" the piping while cutting. Yeah, maybe someone will see this and not lose a hand or something. I was fortunate, but needed to sit down after that episode.

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Good to hear you didn't get hurt, Its too easy to make a quick decision like that, I'm sure we all have been there.

Carbide teeth moving at high speed vs flesh = not good

I've seen mine toss the cut piece across the shop at a velocity that would do serious harm! Found I had a missing tooth on the blade.

tungstendipper wrote:I've seen mine toss the cut piece across the shop at a velocity that would do serious harm! Found I had a missing tooth on the blade.

I quickly bought a horizontal band saw to be done with it. Unless u can really clamp the work piece hard, I wouldn't even think about using it. Its great to cut wood now

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I can attest to the Rage saw being a beast to respect, I had a chunk of saw chaff get down my backside of the neck and oh was that hot. As for welding if it helps I have been TIG welding since the 70's, in food processing, in my shop and on farms. Many friends who are in their 60's as well and no ill affects from welding. And other than basic eye protection no horror stories other than an occasional skin burn. I do find the most dangerous part of the TIG experience is the dust from grinding tungsten on a pedestal grinder. I should have respiration mask or some form of ventilation around the grinder.