Welding Fumes – Why They Need To Be Removed

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Welding Fumes Why They Need To Be Removed
When metals are welded together, toxic fumes and
gases are generated, and released into the
airstream. The particulates in such fumes are
typically smaller than even 0.1 µm, which means
not even a 99th part of a strand of the hair!
With an average strand of hair being only 99 µm,
you can imagine how the particles in welding
fume are so tiny that they can never been seen to
the naked eye. Now, if the size is so small, its
certain that the concentration will be greater.
Imagine the amount of danger such high
concentrations of particulates may cause! How
can particulate matter prove to be dangerous? The
particulate matter found in welding fumes can
include harmful metals and gases like carbon
monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, and
hydrogen fluoride. These gases get easily
trapped in the respiratory system, targeting the
bloodstream, central nervous system, and kidneys.
Also, the fumes can settle on fixtures, causing
equipment malfunction issues, and on the floors,
increasing the risks of falls and slips. All in
all, if these contaminants arent controlled and
captured, there is an increased risk of health
and safety injuries. This is why it is
absolutely essential to collect the fumes at or
near the source, using a fume extraction
system. What is a fume extraction system?
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• Welding fume extraction systems are useful to
  capture harmful fumes, gases, smoke, and other
  airborne contaminants, before reaching the
  breathing zone. These systems are designed to
  extract, filter, and clean contaminated air, and
  then return it back into the premises as clean
  air, or exhaust it outside altogether. For
  instance, the Fumekiller from Powertech Pollution
  Controls is a high-efficiency two-stage
  electrostatic precipitator, that is designed and
  developed for the capture and control of fumes,
  mist, smoke, and fine dust thus proving to be a
  diverse welding fume extractor India.
• Safe work practices that must be ensured
• Employers must remain proactive in maintaining
  safe working conditions wherever welding
  procedures take place. Welding safety measures
  must be regulated, and employees must be trained
  about the importance of proper fume control, in
  order to ensure their safety. Good and
  appropriate ventilation is certainly a must to
  supply fresh air to your environment, but that
  alone cannot be relied upon, where harmful
  processes like welding is executed. This is why a
  fume extraction system is required. Moreover,
  these systems must be properly used and
  positioned, based on the specific machining
  process and application taking place, to
  guarantee effectiveness.
• Negligent work practices can result in
  overexposure to air contaminants, thus
  increasing health risks and putting your people
  at danger. Apart from installing fume extraction
  system, lets also help you understand a few
  other easy ways to improve the safety in your
  welding environment.
• The work area must be properly ventilated.
• Every welder must be equipped with personal
  protection equipment and gear to keep their
  eyes, face, and skin protected.
• Evaluate work practices to ensure that your
  employees are performing welding processes as
  safely and efficiently as possible.
• You must conduct hazard inspections regularly to
  ensure that the work environment meets every
  required regulation.
• Check for any required updates, new equipment,
  and changes to current processes that can bring
  about improved safety measures.
• There must always be a 35-foot clearance around
  the welding area, to ensure safety in the worst
  scenario of a fire hazard, wherein the welding
  project can be relocated to a different area.

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As an employer, make sure you have all this in
check, so as to keep your workspace and your
employees free from danger.