Welding Fumes

When you see the visible smoke coming from the welding process, whether it’s from welding, oxy fuel cutting, plasma cutting or brazing, that smoke is a welding fume. Welding fumes contain very fine particles of metal and gas by-products that can negatively affect your health if you are not protected with proper PPE and ventilation.

Fumes come from the base material or filler, paints and coatings on the metal and covering the electrode, shielding gases, arc ultraviolet light and heat reactions, process and consumables, and vapors from cleaners and degreasers.

Welding fumes can contain exposure to a number of heavy metals as well as gases such as argon, helium, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, phosgene, and hydrogen fluoride. Each metal and gas will have different effects on the body and some materials such as cadmium, nickel, beryllium, chromium, manganese and arsenic can be especially harmful and cause their own symptoms.

Tips to Remember

• Because each material you’re welding with can have different effects, it’s very important to know the hazards of the materials you’re working with. Know what the hazards of the specific metals and the gases you are using. Each welding power source and container of consumable product should have a warning labels with specific safety instructions. Consult SDSs of the materials and consumables you are working with.
• Breathing in welding fumes can cause nose and throat irritation, nausea and dizziness and in cases of prolonged exposures, can cause asthma as well as eye, kidney, stomach, nervous system, and other issues. If you experience any of these, leave the area immediately to fresh air.
• Never weld in confined spaces as confined spaces can trap the gases and displace the air causing you to suffocate. Any confined space welding requires additional ventilation.
• Local exhaust ventilation is more effective for reducing fumes but if that is not available, general ventilation methods such as roof vents, open doors and windows, roof fans, and floor fans can move air throughout the area. Watch where these air sources are directing the chemicals as to not overexpose other workers and bystanders.
• If there is not proper ventilation available, respirators may need to be worn.
• Ensure the surface that you are welding is cleaned of any coatings like paints or solvents that may give off toxic materials.
• Position yourself so that you avoid breathing in the fumes. Stay upwind in open and outdoor environments or if indoors, use forced or natural air movement to reduce the fume. Make sure that any local exhaust ventilation systems are properly running so they can be used to remove fumes and gases from the breathing zone.
• Keep fume hoods, fume extractor guns and vacuum nozzles close to plume sources. Portable and flexible exhaust systems can be positioned so that fumes are drawn away.
• If there’s a lower fume-generating material that can be used in welding, consider using it.
• It’s important for your employer to know the exposures of welders, welder helpers, fire watchers, and workers adjacent to welding operations, so they may conduct industrial hygiene sampling to determine exposures and if there are procedures that must be developed to keep them at acceptable levels.