How to remove welding fumes and prevent OSHA enforcement

Welding fumes – the health risks

Companies often protect welders using local extraction systems and PPE, but other workers are often overlooked, moving around the plant without protection. This exposes them to harmful particles, smoke, and mist, increasing their risk for illnesses like metal fume fever or cancer.

"Pedestrianism" is not only a risk for employees, but can also threaten your entire business. Poor air quality and inadequate protection may result in OSHA violations, fines, or legal trouble. Extracting air outside can also lead to EPA enforcement and environmental pollution.

The solution? A professional air cleaning system that collects welding fumes at the source and throughout the facility.

Prolonged exposure to welding fumes can cause serious conditions like lung problems, cancer, ulcers, and kidney damage. Manganism syndrome, caused by manganese exposure, has symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease.

Without a proper solution, welding fumes can cause severe, long-term health issues for your staff.

How safe are extraction systems?

Extraction systems may seem like a good solution to reduce welding fumes. But they are often undersized for the work area and fail to remove all of the hazardous mist and smoke.

Small particulate matter can still escape to other areas of the production floor, exposing other employees to heavy metals, oil mist, and causing a haze in the lights that can obstruct vision.

Extraction systems simply can’t do what an industrial air cleaner can: Remove welding fumes at the source, before they have a chance to spread.