Welding Can Hurt More Than The Eyes

It’s no surprise welding can cause damage to your eyes if you do not use the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  But what about the rest of your body?  Your hearing, skin, neck, back, head and your respiratory system are all at risk when performing welding operations.

Here’s how:

• Skin:  When you are welding, unprotected skin is exposed to hot metal, sparks and UV radiation (arc welding).
• Hearing:  Welding can generate noise at levels which cause hearing loss.
• Respiratory:  If you perform welding operations in a poorly ventilated area, you are at risk of inhaling fumes, gas and dust present in the air as a result of welding. 
• Head:  Sparks can burn your hair, causing painful damage to your scalp and skin.
• Neck and Back:  Standing for long periods of time bent over your work can cause stress to your back.

These, along with the many hazards to your eyes — burns caused by sparks, heat, molten metal and ultraviolet rays and cuts caused by flying spatter, and flash burns, commonly known as welder’s flash or arc eye — point to the importance of wearing the right PPE when welding.