The Benefits of Using Welding Dusting Equipment
Welding and metal processing create noxious fumes that can negatively impact employees’ health. Capturing these pollutants using a welding dedusting system can help your team stay comfortable, healthy and productive.
Fume-related hazards include eye irritation and lung damage. Certain metal dusts, like iron oxide, lead and manganese, can cause weakness, fatigue and headaches with chronic overexposure.
Welding fumes
Depending on the metals used, welding techniques and other factors, fumes can contain toxic elements such as mercury, lead and arsenic. In addition to these harmful chemicals, fumes can also contain other particles such as organic compounds and metal oxides. These particles are usually too small to see but are dangerous because they can reach the alveolar regions in workers’ lungs and cause toxicity.
Welding processes create dangerous gases and dust particles that need to be continuously filtered from the air in your shop. This will not only prevent health problems caused by exposure to these harmful elements but it can also help protect expensive equipment from damage by preventing them from clogging delicate mechanisms.
Metal welding fumes are especially hazardous because they may encourage the growth of pathogenic bacteria, such as B. cereus and anthrax, in the lungs. These fumes are thought to do this by acting as a nutrient for bacteria and enhancing their binding to lung tissues.
This is why a good welding dedusting system is important. It will be able to capture all of these harmful gases and particles and make sure they don’t enter the working environment. The system can also provide clean air and reduce the welding dedusting equipment risk of explosions in your facility. Using a welding fume extraction system can be an effective way to control exposure and prevent respiratory diseases such as lung cancer.
Combustible dust
Combustible dust is created when a solid material is chipped, ground or otherwise finely divided. It’s found in a wide range of industries and environments, including metal manufacturing where materials like aluminium or magnesium may be processed; chemical processing where raw materials are used to make fabrics; agriculture where the handling of fertilisers and grains takes place; and mining operations that extract coal from the earth.
The dust particles can be small enough to lodge deep in the lungs and respiratory ducts, or even enter the bloodstream. The dust also has the potential to explode when it comes into contact with ignition sources, such as static electricity or flames from welding processes. It’s been the cause of many devastating workplace accidents, killing workers and destroying facilities.
These hazards can be prevented with the correct welding dedusting equipment in place, designed specifically for your operation. This typically involves a system that combines the three Cs of welding dedusting equipment safe working conditions: capture, convey and contain. It can include welding hoods to capture welding fumes and combustible dust, ducting to connect the capture points and the collection system, and a fan that can handle the volume of contaminants. A system that follows these principles will ensure your workers have clean air to breathe for the duration of their shift and protect the work environment.
Gases
If you’re working with combustible dusts, you’ll need to ensure that your facility has an effective filtration system. This system must offer your skilled team constant access to clean air that’s free of dangerous dust particles for the duration of their shift.
Welding fumes have a variety of negative health effects on the respiratory tract, depending on the welding process and the metal being welded. The type of metal, size and shape of inhaled particles, electrostatic charge and hygroscopicity can all affect the response of the respiratory system to these chemicals. Exposure to these chemicals can lead to irritated eyes, nose and throat, headaches, fatigue and weakness. If chronic overexposure occurs, it can lead to a variety of lung diseases including bronchitis and interstitial lung disease, or even respiratory cancers.
Welding dedusting equipment must also be able to remove the gases released during welding. These gases can be dangerous in high concentrations, and may be present in your workspace at low levels as well. These gases include nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and ozone. Nitrogen can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and is also a skin irritant. It can also cause a variety of lung problems, such as chest tightness, wheezing and coughing. Carbon dioxide and ozone can irritate the respiratory tract, as well as the eyes and throat, and can cause a variety of lung disorders, such as bronchitis and interstitial pneumonia.
Safety
When using welding dedusting equipment it is important to take the right precautions to avoid harming employees. A good ventilation system is key to ensuring that the fumes and dust are not released into the workplace. This will help reduce the risk of siderosis (welder’s lung) and other health issues.
It is also essential to have a good exhaust system to capture and dispose of these contaminants. These systems can be either local exhaust ventilation or ambient capture air cleaning systems. A well designed system will typically include a method for capturing and conveying the fumes, a ducting system to carry them back to the dust collection system and an ambient monitoring filter to prevent return air duct contamination.
Welders should wear a respirator that can be fitted with a specialised metal fume filter when working with materials such as galvanised steel, lead, zinc or other hazardous coatings. In addition, it is important to wear clothing that is fire retardant. A pair of long sleeved coveralls without cuffs and leather gauntlet gloves are a good choice. A hard hat is also recommended to protect the head from falling debris. Finally, ear plugs or a wire screen protector should be used when working in confined spaces or overhead locations. All these measures should be evaluated regularly to ensure they are effective.
