How to stay safe while avoiding the dangers of welding

Colorado has many residents who work as welders. While many welding jobs are high-paying, they’re also some of the most dangerous types of construction work. Research from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 560,000 welding-related injuries happen each year. That’s why welders must ensure they follow all safety precautions while working.

Checking your surroundings and equipment

Occasionally, welding injuries and workers’ compensation claims can happen due to unsafe working conditions. Ensure your equipment is in proper condition before welding, especially when sharing tools with other employees. It’s also wise to ensure you’re working in an open area.

Ensuring you have proper ventilation

Some welding-related dangers are less obvious than others. As you likely know, welding releases potentially dangerous fumes. That’s why it’s imperative to wear personal protective equipment, potentially including a respirator. Also, weld in an environment with proper ventilation. If not taken care of, continually breathing welding-related gases can lead to the flu, nausea, respiratory discomfort, and other health problems.

Wearing protective equipment

Another element of welding safety involves wearing suitable clothing, including a helmet with eye protection, gloves and an apron. Proper eye protection protects your eyes from flying sparks and extremely bright light. Wearing the appropriate clothing helps prevent skin burns or your clothing from catching fire. One spark hitting your skin or eyeball can be excruciatingly painful and may cause permanent disability, such as blindness.

Watching out for electrical dangers

Some welders, including arc welders, work with and around live electricity. If an unprotected welder works in a wet space or touches metal with electricity running through it, this person can receive a potentially lethal electric shock.

If you were the victim of a welding accident, the company you worked for could be held liable. After a welding injury happens, document as much as you can about this unfortunate incident and report it right away.