Safety in Welding

HSENI working with industry professionals, has produced a series of six video presentations outlining the risks involved with welding and the controls that should be in place to protect workers.

Welding and respiratory ill health

David Fishwick is a Consultant Respiratory Physician in the NHS in Sheffield and the Chief Medical Adviser for the Health and Safety Executive GB and HSENI. He has a major interest in lung diseases due to work exposures. In the following video David highlights the risk of serious ill health including cancer which can result from exposure to hazardous substances such as welding fume.

Managing health hazards from welding fumes

Neil Pickering is a Chartered Occupational Hygienist and Safety Practitioner and is the Chair of the British Occupational Hygiene Society Breathe Freely campaign focusing on welding. In this video Neil discusses the various options available for the control of welding fume and demonstrates how to use the Breathe Freely Welding Fume Control Selector Tool. The Welding Selector Tool is freely available to those involved in welding operations and can be used to identify potential control solutions for a wide range of welding activities.

(LEV) options that are available for the control of welding fume in the workplace

John Saunders is a Principal Scientist at the Health and Safety Executives Science and Research Centre in Buxton. In his presentation he describes a number of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) options that are available for the control of welding fume in the workplace. John also talks us through the various stages of installing a new LEV system and the importance of getting each stage right to ensure effective control is maintained.

Case study identifing and installation of on-tool extraction for the management of welding fume

Natalie Regan, Health, Safety and Environmental Manager of McCloskey International describes the process that she and her colleagues worked through to identify and install on-tool extraction for the management of welding fume at McCloskeys.

Fixed LEV System 

Filmed at South West College.

Demonstration of an on-torch extraction system

Filmed at McCloskey International.