10 Questions You Should to Know about welding safety goggles

Follow These 10 Safety Rules for Welding

1. Conduct Welding in a Designated Safe Location

Before starting any welding task, observe your surroundings. Ensure there are no flammable materials within 35 feet (10 meters) of the welding area. If relocating these items is impossible, follow OSHA guidelines to move any movable fire hazards away from the welding site.

Are you interested in learning more about welding safety goggles? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

2. Protect Yourself from Fire Hazards

If fire hazards can't be removed, use appropriate safeguards. This ensures that immovable fire hazards are protected and that heat, sparks, and hot slags produced by welding are confined.

3. Consider the Risks

Welding comes with various risks, including exposure to fumes and UV radiation. Assess the risks before starting work. Conduct a risk assessment to set up controls to manage or eliminate these hazards. Avoid welding and cutting if the risks are not manageable.

4. Maintain Your Equipment

Ensure that the welder or helper on platforms, scaffolds, or runways is protected from falling by using railings, safety belts, or other effective safeguards. Keep welding cables and other equipment clear of passageways, ladders, and stairways.

5. Wear Appropriate PPEs at All Times

Always wear the necessary PPE to prevent physical injuries or illnesses. These include:

• Long-sleeved shirts
• Long pants without cuffs
• Welding helmet or goggles
• Respirators
• Ear muffs/plugs
• Boots & gloves

6. Ventilate the Welding Area

Proper ventilation is essential to prevent welding incidents. Ventilation removes air contaminants, prevents the accumulation of flammable gases, and maintains a safe atmosphere.

7. Protect Yourself from Fumes and Gases

Ensure local exhaust or general ventilation systems keep toxic fumes, gases, or dust below allowable limits. Wear a respirator if necessary to avoid inhaling harmful substances.

8. Provide Warnings for Other Workers

After completing welding operations, mark the hot metal or provide warnings to other workers.

9. Read Warning Labels and Relevant Documents, and Keep Training

Ensure welders have access to container labels and safety data sheets. Provide training when new equipment and techniques are introduced.

10. Enforce Safety Procedures

Maintain accountability for following safety guidelines. Report any safety violations for the well-being of everyone in the workspace.

SafetyCulture Marketplace: Your One-Stop Work Gear & Equipment Shop

Improve workplace safety with SafetyCulture Marketplace as your go-to for all work gear and equipment needs. Access quality and specialized gear from trusted brands all in one place, empowering employees to request what they need anytime, anywhere.

What Type of PPE is Available When Welding?

The chart below summarizes the types of personal protective equipment that can be used when welding.

Body Part Equipment

• Eyes and Face: Welding helmet, hand shield, or goggles for protection from radiation, flying particles, debris, hot slag, sparks, and intense light. Use fire-resistant head coverings under the helmet when necessary.
• Lungs (Breathing): Respirators protect against fumes and oxides.
• Exposed Skin: Fire/flame-resistant clothing and aprons to protect against heat, fires, burns, and radiation.
• Ears: Ear muffs and plugs protect against noise. Use fire-resistant ear muffs where sparks or splatter may enter the ear.
• Feet and Hands: Boots and gloves protect against electric shock, heat, burns, and fires.

For more information, please visit china safety products.

Eye injuries can result from the intense light and radiation emitted by a welding arc. Protect your eyes by wearing a welder's helmet fitted with the appropriate filter shade. Always wear safety glasses with side shields or goggles when chipping or grinding if not using a welding helmet.

Eye protection types are categorized in the CSA standard Z94.3-20 "Eye and Face Protectors". Each class serves a specific purpose and should have distinctive manufacturer markings. Common classifications include:

• Class 2C – Direct/non-ventilated goggles with non-ionizing radiation protection
• Class 3 – Welding helmets
• Class 4 – Welding hand shields
• Class 6 – Face shields for non-ionizing radiation protection
• Class 7 – Respirator facepiece for non-ionizing radiation protection

Welding helmets or hand shields are necessary for arc welding, plasma arc cutting, and air carbon arc cutting. For gas cutting, welding, or brazing, use lighter shade filter lenses with goggles.

Refer to the OSH Answers on Eye and Face Protectors for more information.

Hand shields or helmets provide eye protection through several components:

• Helmet Shell: Opaque to light, resistant to impact, heat, and electricity.
• Outer Cover Plate: Made of polycarbonate plastic to protect from radiation, impact, and scratches.
• Filter Lens: Glass containing a filler to reduce light transmission. Available in different shades, higher numbers mean darker filters.
• Clear Retainer Lens: Plastic prevents broken pieces of the filter lens from reaching the eye.
• Gasket: Heat insulating material between the cover lens and filter lens, protecting from sudden heat changes.

• Choose a tight-fitting helmet to reduce light reflection.
• Wear the helmet correctly, not as a hand shield.
• Protect the shade lens from impact and sudden temperature changes.
• Use a cover lens to protect the filter shade lens. Replace if scratched or hazy.
• Replace the gasket periodically if applicable.
• Replace the clear retaining lens for eye protection.
• Clean lenses periodically.
• Discard pitted, cracked, or damaged lenses.

For Arc welding, select the correct filter shade based on the welding process, wire diameter, and operating current. Always use suggested shade numbers rather than the minimum. Refer to CSA Standard W117.2-19 for specific details.

• Provide additional task lighting as needed.
• Use the same shade as the welder's if observing the welding arc.
• Avoid using gas welding goggles for arc welding.
• Do not substitute modified glasses, sunglasses, or smoked plastic for proper welding lenses.

The recommended shade numbers for oxygen cutting are listed in the relevant standards.

The CSA Standard W117.2 advises against wearing contact lenses during welding due to the risk of foreign bodies causing irritation. Contact lenses do not protect against UV radiation or flying objects. All workers near welding must wear appropriate eye protection.

Note: In Canada, specific regulations may ban contact lenses during welding.

• Wear tightly woven work-weight fabrics to block UV radiation.
• Button up shirts to protect the neck and throat.
• Wear long sleeves and pant legs.
• Cover your head with a fabric cap or hood for UV protection.
• Ensure fabric garments resist sparks, heat, and flame. Keep them clean and free from combustible materials.

Use respiratory protection when ventilation is inadequate to remove welding fumes or if there's an oxygen deficiency risk. Follow applicable regulations for selecting and using respirators. Conduct a hazard assessment and implement a respiratory protection program.

Refer to the OSH Answers on Respirator Selection for more details on choosing the right respirators.

DO

• Wear heavyweight, tightly woven, 100% wool or cotton clothing to protect from UV radiation, hot metal, sparks, and open flames.
• Keep clothing clean and free of oils, greases, and combustible contaminants.
• Launder flame-retardant fabrics as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts with buttoned cuffs and collars.
• Tape shirt pockets closed or keep them covered.
• Avoid cuffed pants; pant legs should cover boots to prevent spark collection.
• Repair frayed edges, tears, or holes in clothing.
• Wear high-top boots, fully laced, to prevent spark entry.
• Use fire-resistant boot protectors or spats.
• Remove matches and butane lighters from pockets.
• Wear gauntlet-type leather gloves or protective sleeves to protect wrists and forearms.
• Use a shield to prevent sparks from spraying onto your clothing.
• Wear leather aprons to protect from sparks when standing or sitting.
• Wear layers of clothing but avoid overdressing.
• Wear a fire-resistant skull cap or balaclava hood under your helmet.
• Use a welder's face shield for protection.

DO NOT

Want more information on wholesale raincoats? Feel free to contact us.

• Do not wear rings or jewelry.
• Avoid synthetic or synthetic blend clothing as it can burn or melt, causing severe skin burns.

• Fact sheet last revised: 2023-03-14