Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine is the premier workplace health and safety publication in Canada. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from office to heavy industry, and from general safety management to specific workplace hazards.
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16 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com By Linda Johnson W ith fl ying sparks and brilliant fl ashes of blue light visible in any welding activity, most people are well aware that welders face serious safety risks on the job. It's not just sudden accident and injury they need to guard against, how- ever. Toxic fumes from some welding processes may also cause health prob- lems that range from bronchitis to Parkinson's syndrome. "I can't think of any activity that is more hazardous than welding," says Frank Burg, president of Accident Pre- vention Corporation and a member of the standards development committee of the American Society of Safety Engi- neers (ASSE). Burg says one of the most hazard- ous aspects of welding is the fumes, a plume of minute particles produced by the molten metals and by gases released during the welding process. One eff ect of exposure to fumes is "metal fume fever," a fl u-like sickness that goes away within 24 to 48 hours. While considered short-term, Burg says, the eff ects depend on the kind of metal used. "If the work involves cadmium, it could kill you," he says. "No one ana- lyzes these metals before they weld on them (to determine content). ey're just guessing." Welders are exposed to some of the most hazardous substances in the workplace, so workers must rely on proper PPE – and a great deal of knowledge – to stay safe been doing studies and are fi nding a good correlation between amount of manganese exposure and incidence of Parkinson's syndrome," Burg says. Other long-term eff ects include heart disease, kidney damage, stom- ach problems, lead poisoning, lung and throat cancer and neu- rological problems. In fact, the ASSE says, many welders suff er from some sort of respiratory ill- ness or pulmonary infection. Flammable hazards ere are other hazards asso- ciated with welding, Burg says. Fire and explosion are among the most serious. Oxy-welding, or oxyacetylene gas welding, uses fuel gases and oxygen to weld metals. Acety- lene is both fl ammable and an explosive, and the fl ame used in the process burns at an intense heat. "You're looking at the heat According to the ASSE, the short- term eff ects of welding fumes also include nausea, coughing, bronchitis, pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs), encephalopathy, shortness of breath, and eye, ear, nose, throat and chest irritation. Metals found in welding dust and fumes, the organization says, include aluminum, nickel, manganese, lead, chromium, copper, iron oxide and cadmium oxides. Gases produced by fumes include carbon monoxide, fl uo- rine, nitrogen oxide and ozone. Exposure to fumes containing man- ganese — an element present in most metals and o en added to carbon steel and stainless steel to increase strength — is also thought to be the cause of Parkinson's syndrome — or manganese-induced parkinsonism — a Parkinson's-like illness characterized by decreased co-ordination, diffi culty walking, loss of balance, shaking and slurred speech. "NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) has FUMES