Welding fume

Welding Fume
Dealing with a carcinogen

Graham Twigg
MSc CFIOSH
Content
Responding to HSE Safety Alert

How do we respond to the HSE Safety Alert

- About the HSE Safety Alert

- Enforcement expectations of HSE

- Back to basics
- COSHH assessment
- Fume analysis and WELs
- Personal exposure monitoring
- Health surveillance

- Resources
- BOHS Breathe Freely
- HSE updated welding fume webpages
- HSE Go Home Healthy
Welding Fume – new problem?
Phil the Welder – HSE video

https://youtu.be/weUBTxzjrnc
HSE Safety Alert
February 2019

Consequences:

With immediate effect, there is a

strengthening of HSE’s
enforcement expectation for all
welding fume, including mild steel
welding; because general
ventilation does not achieve the
necessary control.
HSE Safety Alert
Control of the cancer risk will
require suitable engineering
controls for all welding
activities indoors e.g. Local
Exhaust Ventilation (LEV).
Extraction will also control
exposure to manganese,
which is present in mild steel
welding fume, which can
cause neurological effects
similar to Parkinson’s
disease.
 Welding Fume
HSE go home healthy

https://youtu.be/So_2mc06jXQ

http://www.hse.gov.uk/gohomehealthy/
HSE Safety Alert

Where LEV alone does not

adequately control
exposure, it should be
supplemented by adequate
and suitable respiratory
protective equipment (RPE)
to protect against the
residual fume.
HSE Safety Alert

Regardless of duration,
HSE will no longer accept
any welding undertaken
without any suitable
exposure control measures
in place, as there is no
known level of safe exposure.
 HSE Safety Alert

Appropriate RPE should be

provided for welding
outdoors. You should ensure
welders are suitably
instructed and trained in the
use of these controls

https://www.healthyworkinglives.scot/resources/rpe-selector-tool/Pages/default.aspx
HSE Safety Alert

Risk assessments should r

eflect the change in the exp
ected control measures.
  
COSHH Assessment
                                                                                                                                        

Review COSHH assessments

- are we doing this already?

http://www.hse.gov.uk/welding/fume-welding.htm
- Type of metal and consumable needs
to be taken into account
- How competent are your welders?
- What are the exposure levels? Do your
controls reduce adequately?
- Get it checked by competent person
(Occupational Hygienist) to undertake
personal exposure monitoring
- Fume component or generic welding
fume WEL? EH40 guidance and
calculation
- Do you require a health surveillance
programme based on exposure levels?
COSHH Assessment
Review COSHH assessments

- Suitable control measures must be

applied, regardless of welding duration
and including outdoors welding;
- The employer must ensure welders are
suitably instructed and trained in the
use of any exposure controls (e.g. LEV,
RPE);
- All engineering controls should be
correctly used, suitably maintained and
subject to thorough examination and
testing (if required under COSHH
Regulation 9) and RPE must be subject
to an RPE programme.
Welding Fume
HSE COSHH Essentials
Resources
Where to get additional support and information

http://www.hse.gov.uk/welding/fume-facts.htm

http://www.hse.gov.uk/gohomehealthy/lungs.htm
Resources
Where to get additional support and information

https://form.jotform.com/83172990681970
 Resources
Where to get additional support and information

http://www.bohs.org/