Welding Tips and Tricks

Interested in hearing welders' thoughts on the recent reclassification of welding fume as "carcinogenic to humans". Are you noticing that companies are changing their stance on welders' safety? What are you wearing at work to protect you against welding fume?

It's a small world mate, It's Mick here from the Awesome boileys page. These guys are mostly American, but no doubt you'll get some good feedback. If you can post the link to your information, that'll be great.

Best, Mick

Lots of places over here are definitely preaching about the dangers. Hexaveliant chromium is there poster child, but now it sounds like they’ve decided we’re all going to die from the cement dust from drilling anchors first... unless the fiberglass dust from the insulation sneaks up first, or would that be third?

If I’m doing a lot of welding that is flat horizontal or when I’m doing framework on the trailers I wear a 3M halfmask respirator. I weld stainless feel exclusovely. If I’m doing small amounts or am standing quite a ways back I’m not too worried but I’m trying to get in he habit of wearing it.

I honestly wonder what took them so long. I don't think it has anything to do with companies caring though. Guranteed to be just California and Osha making more waves because someone got a lawyer somewhere. This forum post is known to the state of California to cause cancer and other serious health and birth defects.

I typically use a 3m half mask respirator most of the time. I had some issues from flame sokdering with cadmium and irridium filled solder around 5 years ago and have never really gotten over it. Lesson learned. Dust and fumes are bad.

Poland308 wrote:Lots of places over here are definitely preaching about the dangers. Hexaveliant chromium is there poster child, but now it sounds like they’ve decided we’re all going to die from the cement dust from drilling anchors first... unless the fiberglass dust from the insulation sneaks up first, or would that be third?

Breathing too often, would be fourth.

weldin mike 27 wrote:It's a small world mate, It's Mick here from the Awesome boileys page. These guys are mostly American, but no doubt you'll get some good feedback. If you can post the link to your information, that'll be great.

Best, Mick

Hi Mick, very small world!

Will be good to hear the thoughts from around the world. For any welders interested we wrote a piece on this reclassification of welding fume. It's taken from an Australian perspective but is relevant to all countries as we compare a few standards from around the world.
Here's the landing page where you can download the White Paper - https://www.awsi.com.au/welding-fume-an ... protection

Does anyone have a link to the bill that is being proposed?

Who is the senator that proposed it? Wouldn't surprise me if it was Cali, we have some doozy senators...the got a lobotomy before heading to congress.

Anyone have a link? I was just trying to google but couldn't find anything.

Alan

TraditionalToolworks wrote:Does anyone have a link to the bill that is being proposed?

Who is the senator that proposed it? Wouldn't surprise me if it was Cali, we have some doozy senators...the got a lobotomy before heading to congress.

Anyone have a link? I was just trying to google but couldn't find anything.

Alan

Hi Alan

Not sure about a bill but I do know that it was the IARC (International Agency for The Research on Cancer) that did the research and proved the link between fume and cancer. Fume has now been classified as "Carcinogenic to Humans". Based on this research, safety bodies are reviewing their guidelines for welding fume but this will be country specific. I know that in Australia many companies aren't waiting for the new guidelines and are preemptively changing their stance on welding fume. Legal precedent for compensation has already been set in Australia as well - https://www.awsi.com.au/blog/welding-and-cancer -

I guess I'm spoilt by working for a company that has always supplied the best equipment. However they are lacking in education and enforcement of using said equipment.

aws_speedglas wrote:Not sure about a bill but I do know that it was the IARC (International Agency for The Research on Cancer) that did the research and proved the link between fume and cancer.

Somehow I got the impression it was going to be a federal regulation, and I thought if that was so congress would need to vote on some type of bill.

aws_speedglas wrote:https://www.awsi.com.au/blog/welding-and-cancer -

Not for nothing but that sounds a bit odd, the guy smoked cigarettes since he was 18 until he was 40. Seems like he could have been a POW also...

From article you linked to:
"Mr Tran smoked up to five cigarettes a day from the age of 18 until he quit when he was 40."

I don't get it...

Alan

TraditionalToolworks wrote:

aws_speedglas wrote:Not sure about a bill but I do know that it was the IARC (International Agency for The Research on Cancer) that did the research and proved the link between fume and cancer.

Somehow I got the impression it was going to be a federal regulation, and I thought if that was so congress would need to vote on some type of bill.
Alan

Not all Federal Regulation requires a legislative bill to be enacted. OSHA, EPA and other agencies have within their discretion, to create and impose new regulations without much process.

This is an Australian article. In the case in question, apparently the people in the know can tell the difference between a cancer from welding fume and a cancer from cigarettes. I would however, no matter what country you live in, find the best protection you can do what ever you can to get it.

Welding fumes or concrete dust would be on the very bottom of my death causing worries.Most all of my older buddies died of C but the probable cause most likely came out of a bottle or can.

Antorcha wrote:Welding fumes or concrete dust would be on the very bottom of my death causing worries.Most all of my older buddies died of C but the probable cause most likely came out of a bottle or can.

The OP is a retailer of papr helmets and while they may have health concerns, retail profits is what they are driven by. They didn’t say anything about wearing gloves or proper clothes or boots, only about what they sell.
While my previous posts will show that I am a big advocate of ppe and safe work practices, a wholistic approach is required when it comes to cancer. After all what doesn’t kill you makes you fat.


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cj737 wrote:Not all Federal Regulation requires a legislative bill to be enacted. OSHA, EPA and other agencies have within their discretion, to create and impose new regulations without much process.

I didn't realize they could do that, and I don't know if it's right or wrong...but imposing regulations has a huge impact, and it's not clear who makes the decision. I have always been under the impression that congress needed to vote on any Federal regulations, but that is obviously not correct, so that much I don't know.

My worry is that we overreact, impose regulations, and are stuck with them forever more into the future...kinda similar to how we had asbestos brakes and sat in traffic on freeways for years breathing it, or living with it in the walls of our homes...in a short course of about 20 years we went from having asbestos in many things to treating it like one of the most dangerous materials on earth...needing to hire people in white room suits to remove it from our homes...

My question is are welding fumes really this dangerous for the average welder? More so do we need to regulate and control welders from fumes? Most are certainly smart enough to take their own precautions, however, do we need Federal regulations being imposed on everyone?

Alan

weldin mike 27 wrote:This is an Australian article. In the case in question, apparently the people in the know can tell the difference between a cancer from welding fume and a cancer from cigarettes. I would however, no matter what country you live in, find the best protection you can do what ever you can to get it.

I probably shouldn't post this response, but if these people know so much about cancer, why haven't they cured it?

I'm no cancer expert, but I'm pretty skeptic on any courts deciding what is right or wrong, "according to experts". In court the better lawyer wins, period. If you can present a good case to the jury (I'm guessing Oz uses juries), you win.

The OJ case is a case in point...he was let go, did he do it? Was he guilty? He was let off on technicalities in court, mainly the glove didn't fit his hand. We don't know who else was there or whose glove that was, but it wasn't OJs.

Not knowing more about that court case, we do know he was a smoker for much of his life. The rest of the case is a mystery for most of us, we only know what is in that article unless we sat in court and heard the case ourselves.

Anyway, it's interesting that regulations would be passed at a Federal level in America, if that happens I hope they have solid proof that what they're doing is correct as my voice will not matter on iota in the big picture.

Cheers,
Alan

aws_speedglas wrote:Interested in hearing welders' thoughts on the recent reclassification of welding fume as "carcinogenic to humans". Are you noticing that companies are changing their stance on welders' safety? What are you wearing at work to protect you against welding fume?

Fumes 40 years was a carcinogenic
I welded outside so I have no fumed in my face

Dave

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aws_speedglas wrote:Interested in hearing welders' thoughts on the recent reclassification of welding fume as "carcinogenic to humans". Are you noticing that companies are changing their stance on welders' safety? What are you wearing at work to protect you against welding fume?

Fumes 40 years was a carcinogenic
I welded outside so I have no fumed in my face

Dave

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk

I think the guys who run this show have a little more interest in safety than money. The now sell boots and gloves along with everything else 3m sell. I've talked to 2 guys personally from them and they are stand up guys. Nothing about pressure selling like some others.