Welding safety forms the backbone of any project involving an arc. Because of the intensity of light the arc emits, and the extreme temperature it produces, it stands to reason that protecting yourself remains the first rule of the day regardless of the nature of the job or the years of experience you have in the field. Futhermore, welding safety involves more than just protection from heat and light. A number of other safety hazards face welders, and require additional gear to fully meet OSHA and common sense of safety requirements.
Welding helmets provide the most important element of protection by shielding the welder’s head and eyes from the bright light of the arc.
No matter how safe your welding helmet is reputed to be, it remains wise to double-guard the eyes with safety glasses while welding. Even with the arc off, you can still be injured by a variety of equipment hazards on the job. Industrial welding often generates flying particles, chemicals, and vapors that can irritate or severely injure the eyes. No welding environment is ever safe in this sense without countermeasures taken in advance. Home and agricultural environments pose similar hazards to welders without safety glasses. Safety glasses by UVEX offer protection from industrial, laboratory, and chemical hazards encountered daily by welders. Highly scratch resistant, their ability to shield from laser light also makes them a valuable component to any welder’s safety kit.
Welders also need to safely protect their hands, and welding gloves are normally mandatory safety equipment for welders in factories and construction crews. Never remove your gloves while handling welding equipment or while standing in an area where other welders are working. Even with the arc off, hot metal can still burn your hands, and flying particles can burn the hands just like they can burn the eyes. While normal safety gloves might make do for a welder in a pinch, we do not recommend you use standard gloves as a mainstay welding safety device. Instead, we recommend welders invest in gloves specifically designed for their trade.
