Name: Roxanne Doronila

Christine Pajes
Dandy C. De La Cerna

Title: Effect of Arc Welding Hazards to Welders and the People Surrounding the Welding Area

Case: Students without personal protective equipment during welding practice are prone to
welding hazards and the welding shop has no welding booth that protects the welder from each
other.

Introduction

The case study was conducted in Mabini National High School, Division of Escalante
City. There are three Technical and Vocational Livelihood (TVL) Track specialization offered in
Senior High School: Bread and Pastry Production (BPP), Food Beverage and Services (FBS) and
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW). Our case study focuses only in Shielded Metal Arc
Welding because this is the most hazardous and high risks specialization in Technical and
Vocational Livelihood Track.

According to Budhathokiu, Shyam et., al. (2014), welding is a hazardous profession with
a multiplicity of factors that can endanger the health of a welder, such as heat, burns, radiation
(ultraviolet, visible and infrared), noise, fumes, gases, electrocution; uncomfortable postures
involved in the work; high variability in the chemical composition of welding fumes, which
differs according to the work piece, method employed and surrounding environment and the
routes through which these harmful agents enter the body. He is also added that hazards arising
from workplaces could impair the health and well-being of the workers; therefore, it is necessary
to anticipate, recognize, evaluate and control such hazards. The use of personal protective
equipment (PPE) at all times is a good and safe practice by welders to protect from exposure to
hazards and injuries during welding or cutting.
 According to Mgonja, Christopher (2017), in his study discusses the five welding
hazards: 1) Welding Fumes and Gases/Dust. The electric arc welding processes generate dust
and particulate fumes, which when inhaled regularly over long periods can result in serious
effects of the welder’s health. The fumes and dust generated during arc welding may be carried
into the zone around the welder’s face by convection currents rising from the arc. Also during
arc welding, the atmosphere surrounding the welder is contaminated with manganese
compounds, nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, and fluorides. Some fluxes on melting
give off oxides of manganese in dust form as well as hydrogen chlorides and fluorides. In carbon
dioxide (CO2) welding, carbon monoxide may be produced by decomposition of CO2 in the
shielding gas or of carbonates in flux cored wire. Some of the effects of fumes on welder and
surrounding people including irritation of the respiratory tract resulting in dryness of the throat,
coughing, chest tightness, and breathing difficulties. 2) Electric Arc Radiation. An electric arc
gives off visible light (wavelength 0.4 to 0.75 µm) of high intensity with brilliance 10,000 times
the safe glare level of the eyes. The intensity of emitted light depends upon the current level, and
the presence of flux. The welding arc also emits ultra violet (UV) and infra-red rays with wave
length less than 0.4 µm and higher than 0.7 µm respectively. UV rays can damage both eyes and
skin. Even an accidental exposure to UV light from an arc can cause a condition known as arc
eyes. This is characterized by painful gritty feeling as if sand has gone under the eye lids. This
painful condition does not develop immediately after exposure and may take 4 to 8 hours and
normally takes 24 to 48 hours to disappear. 3) Fire and Explosions. Fire in a welding area can
be caused by the ignition of inflammable or combustible materials lying in the vicinity of the
welding zone, and also due to electrical short-circuit. Electric arcs, hot metal, slag, sparks and
spatter are sources of ignition and explosion if precautionary measures are not followed. A safe
distance for welding in the general area of combustible materials is normally considered to be
10.7 m. 4) Electric Shocks. Electric shock is defined as a sudden violent response to electric
current flow through any part of a person's body. Electrocution is death caused by electric shock.
To avoid electric shocks, Read all instructions, labels, and installation manuals before installing,
operating, or servicing the equipment and train all personnel involved in welding operations to
observe safe electrical work practices also touching the live electrical parts should be avoided. 5)
Compressed Gases. Gases used in arc welding processes are the shielding gases. Shielding
gases used in arc welding are argon, helium, and carbon dioxide. These gases are stored in
compressed gas cylinders which are potentially hazardous because of the possibility of sudden
release of gas by removal or breaking off of the valve. High pressure gas escaping from such a
cylinder causes it to be like a rocket which may smash into people and properties.

According to Braun, Ted (2007), the best way to control eye injuries is also the most
simple: proper selection and use of eye protection. Helmets alone do not offer enough protection.
Welders should wear goggles or safety glasses with side shields that comply with ANSI Z87.1
under welding helmets and always wear goggles or other suitable eye protection when gas
welding or oxygen cutting. Goggles provide better protection than safety glasses from impact,
dust, and radiation hazards.

According to Adewoye, Kayode (2013), knowledge on the health effects of welding

smoke was generally poor among the majority of the respondents and it has negative influence
on the utilization of face-mask. There is need to have a health education session for this category
of workers on the health effects of their workplace hazards. Government should adopt a policy
that will make it compulsory for welders to use appropriate personal protective equipment during
welding operation.

Objectives: To determine the effect of welding hazards to the health of the welders.

Problems Encountered: The following are the problems encountered during welding practice.

1. The students did not aware the effect of welding hazards to their health.
2. Students did not give importance the use of personal protective equipment.
3. Students did not wear personal protective equipment during welding practice and some of
them wear unprescribe personal protective equipment.
4. Students are free to roaming around while the others are on welding process.
5. The welding shop has no welding booth that protects the welder from each other.

Solutions: Based on the problems stated above, the following solutions are recommended.

1. The teacher/trainer should discuss the different welding hazards and the effect to their
health.
2. The teacher should emphasize the importance of personal protective equipment to avoid
injury.
 3. Oblige the students to wear personal protective equipment during welding practice.
4. The teacher/trainer should implements the Occupational Safety and Health Standards
(OSHS) procedure inside the welding shop.
5. The school should provide personal protective equipment to the students.
6. The school should construct welding booth in the welding shop to protect the welder
from each other.

Conclusions: Based on the evidence we were gathered, we conclude that welding hazards have a
great effect to the health of the welders. The arc welding can damage the eyes; fumes and gases
can damage the lungs; and spatter and heat can cause burn to the skin. The students should aware
on these hazards and they follow the rules and regulations inside the welding shop. The school
personnel should provide personal protective equipment for the comfort and safety of the
students’ welder.

References:

Adewoye, Kayoed et.,al., 2013. Knowledge on the Health Effects of Welding Smoke, Use of
PPE among Electric-Arc Welders in Ilorin South, North Central Nigeria
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/483e/4bde844a6f7621a9cb8b1fe3e057f781b2f8.pdf
Braun, Ted 2001. Preventing Eye Injuries When Welding
https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2007/02/Preventing-Eye-Injuries-When-Welding.aspx
Budhathoki, Shyam et., al, 2014. Awareness of Occupational Hazards and Use of Safety
Measures Among Welders: A Cross-Sectional Study from Eastern Nepal
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4054643/
Mgonia, Christopher , 2017. The Effects of Arc Welding Hazards to Welders and People
Surrounding the Welding Area
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/65aa/afd04ba79084a699a8360abdce7a29dbe1c4.pdf