Welding Safety – Eye Protection

What a Worker Should Know?

Environment, Health & Safety

Country Bangladesh
Restricted © Siemens BD Ltd. 2016 Siemens.com/EHS/RC-BD
 OBJECTIVES

 After this session, employees will able to identify

hazards which are associate to eyes during welding job.

 Employees will able to select appropriate PPE for

protecting eyes during welding work.

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 Did You Know?

 Eye injuries account for one-quarter of all welding injuries, making

them by far the most common injury for welders, according to
research from the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety.

 Those most at risk for welding-related eye injuries are workers in

industries that produce industrial and commercial machinery,
computer equipment, and fabricated metal products.

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Source of Eye Injury during welding

 Mechanical damage from being struck by flying particles

and chipped slag;

 Radiation and photochemical burns from ultraviolet

radiation (UVR), infrared radiation, and intense blue
light; and

 Irritation and chemical burns from fumes and chemicals.

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 Cumulative Damage Risks

 All of the most common types of welding (shielded

metal-arc or stick welding, gas metal-arc welding, and
oxyacetylene welding) produce potentially harmful
ultraviolet, infrared, and visible spectrum radiation.

 Damage from ultraviolet light can occur very quickly.

Normally absorbed in the cornea and lens of the eye,
ultraviolet radiation (UVR) often causes arc eye or arc
flash, a very painful but seldom permanent injury that is
characterized by eye swelling, tearing, and pain.

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Cumulative Damage Risks cont..

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Cumulative Damage Risks cont..

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 Cumulative Damage Risks cont..

 While most welding-related eye injuries are reversible,

with more than half of injured workers returning to work
in less than two days and 95 percent in less than seven
days

 Some eye injuries are irreversible and permanent visual

impairment occurs, especially true with infrared and
visible spectrum (bright light) radiation.

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Cumulative Damage Risks cont..

 Despite the insidious damage radiation can

cause, molten and cold metal particles striking
the eye are still the most common sources of
eye injuries.

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Eye Protection during welding

 Welding Helmet / Head Screen

 Safety glass (Conforms with ANSI Z87.1)

 Dark lenses with appropriate shade number

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Filter Lenses for Protection Against
Radiant Energy cont..

Electrode Size in Arc Current Minimum Suggested

Process mm (amperes) protective shade
shade number

Shielded Less than 3/32 Less than 60 7 --

Metal Arc (2.4)
Welding
(SMAW) 3/32–5/32 (2.4– 60–160 8 10
4.0)
5/32–1/4 (4.0–6.4) 160–250 10 12

More than 1/4 250–550 11 14

(6.4)

Source: ANSI Z49.1:2012

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Filter Lenses for Protection Against
Radiant Energy cont..

Electrode Size in Arc Current Minimum Suggested

Process mm (amperes) protective shade
shade number

Gas Metal Arc Less than 3/32 Less than 60 7 --

Welding (2.4)
(GMAW) and
Flux Cored 3/32–5/32 (2.4– 60–160 10 11
Arc Welding 4.0)
(FCAW)
5/32–1/4 (4.0–6.4) 160–250 10 12

More than 1/4 250–550 10 14

(6.4)

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Filter Lenses for Protection Against
Radiant Energy cont..

Electrode Size in Arc Current Minimum Suggested

Process mm (amperes) protective shade
shade number

Gas Tungsten Less than 3/32 Less than 50 8 10

Arc Welding (2.4)
(GTAW)
3/32–5/32 (2.4– 50–150 8 12
4.0)

5/32–1/4 (4.0–6.4) 150–500 10 14

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Filter Lenses for Protection Against
Radiant Energy cont..

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Conclusion

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