Welding Fumes – More Dangerous Than You Can Think!
Welding fumes are often underestimated, but when you know what they can do, you’ll certainly realize that these fumes can’t be belittled! We’re often told not to watch the welding light with bare eyes. We’ve also seen how welders wear a face mask and eye cover while executing welding procedures. Yet, many-a-times, welding and the problems it can create is hardly addressed. Maybe the fumes look simply harmless, just like any other smoke, which is why they’re just left out open in the air. But, do you know that these fumes can be seriously harmful, not only for the welder, but also to all those around!?
Why are welding fumes so harmful?
Before we get into the details of telling you why welding fumes are harmful, let’s just give you an idea of the composition of welding fumes, looking at which you should already understand how much you should consider the effects of inhaling these fumes.
Welding fumes involve metals like Aluminium, Antimony, Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lead, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silver, Tin, Titanium, Vanadium, and Zinc.
Welding fumes emit gases that include Argon, Helium, Nitrogen, Nitric Oxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, Ozone, Phosgene, and Hydrogen Fluoride.
Aren’t these details enough for you to understand how harmful these gases can be!?
How do welding fumes affect us?
With so many massive number of metals and gases involved with the process of welding, you’d only wonder as to how this goes without notice. Well, that’s because the size of welding fumes can only be compared to the size of a virus – that tiny little COVID virus that we all are now so very familiar with! And, these fumes linger in the air for days to come, after they’re produced! These particles, which range between 0.3 to 0.9 microns, can easily enter the human nose, and pass through the nostrils into the respiratory tract. And when they do, you can’t even imagine the harm they do to the body!
How can we protect ourselves against these fumes?
Whether you are a welder, or any other person working in the premises, you’re certain to get affected by these harmful fumes. Wearing a mask or face cover may not be enough. Your protection measures should certainly go beyond that. As the business owner, ensuring the best air quality in your work environment is a top priority for you. This can be done by installing a welding fume extractor within your premises. We know this can be an expensive task, but it’s important. However, when you do plan to invest in such systems, getting the best returns on your investment in air filtration solutions is only yearned.
Getting the best ROI with air filtration systems
- You must begin by planning your air filtrations requirements in advance. Every new machine to be installed within the workplace should also call for the need of an air filtration system. This not only ensures clean air from day one, but also saves on time and reduces rework. When you plan your filtration systems along with equipment purchase, you tend to save up to 30% in capital costs.
- You may always look for products that involve low upfront costs, because the pressure to cut costs is one of the highest priorities. But, with sub-optimal performance of such low-cost products, you’ll only be taking a toll on productivity, and adding on to other costs. You should thus make your investments based on the assurance of results, rather than just the upfront costs of the equipment.
- Air filtration systems are sucking in polluted air, and filtering out pure clean air for the workers to breathe. This certainly harms the well-being of your system. It is thus wise to perform routine maintenance so as to earn significant power savings, up to 50% longer filter and equipment life.
Where to get the best filtration system?
Powertech Pollution Controls is one place where you can get the finest welding fume extractor for your premises. With a highly-effective and productive filtration system, the Fumekiller is a two-stage electrostatic precipitator, that is designed and developed for the capture and control of not only welding fumes, but also mist, smoke, and fine dust. All in all, Powertech Pollution Controls proves to be the finest welding fume extractor solution!