institution of occupational safety and health | iosh - breathe … · 2018-07-31 · seeks to raise...

Breathe Freely® 2controlling exposure to welding

fumes and gases

a presentation to

IOSH East Anglia branch

Granta Centre3rd May 2017

Andy GilliesChartered Occupational Hygienist MD, Gillies Associates LimitedPast President, BOHS

Acknowledgements

The following organisations and individuals are gratefully acknowledged:

British Occupational Hygiene Society (www.bohs.org)

Mike Slater Simon Clark

atg.1115 Gillies Associates Limited

• Learned and professional society, founded 1953• The voice of the occupational hygiene community in the UK • Major international scientific society in occupational hygiene • Over 1800 members in 61 countries• Received the Royal Charter in 2012, awards the coveted professional

certification of ‘Chartered Occupational Hygienist’ • Working with other stakeholders in the field of health and safety, BOHS

seeks to raise awareness and influence national and international policy and practice to better protect the health of workers

Gillies Associates Limited

BOHS in East Anglia

Centred in Norwich but with members throughout the region

Organises meetings, network events, joint seminars Previous meetings have covered COSHH, Noise at

Work, REACH, Chemicals Regulation, LEV, Asbestos… Links with local H&S groups (e.g. N&DSG, IOSH,

FISHnet, OHPAG) Keen to collaborate with fellow H&S professional

groups


www.breathefreely.org.uk www.bohs.org

Controlling exposures to preventoccupational lung disease inMANUFACTURING




Health Hazards

• Fume• Gases• UV radiation



Fine particles of metal oxides

Composition depends on type of metal being welded



Welding Fume

Gases are also given off• Ozone• Nitrogen oxides• Inert gas from MIG and TIG



Welding Fume

• At least 190,000 workers exposed to welding fume in Great Britain



Health Concerns



Welding Fume

152 deaths from cancer every year



Welding Fume

• Pneumonia• Metal fume fever• COPD• Asthma



Welding Fume

Nickel and Chromium–Cancer–Asthma



Welding Fume

Manganese–Neurological effects



Controlling Welding Fume

Launching 25 May 2017 Breathe Freely in Manufacturing

in partnership with



Guidance / Resources

• Fact sheets• Case Studies• Assessment / measurement• Toolbox talk



Roadshows

Join us and be part of the solution

www.breathefreely.org.uk

Measuring exposure to welding fume

Why measure? Quantify exposure to fume (or toxic constituents) Evaluate adequacy of control measures

Total fume or constituents? No WEL for “welding fume”, so control exposure to the most

toxic elements (e.g. Cr, Ni, Mn) Relative composition of fume is not the same as composition

of the consumables (rod or wire) stated on SDS Inside or outside the helmet?

Helmet gives a (variable) degree of protection Sampling inside helmet presents practical problems


Fume sampling

BS EN ISO 10882-1 advocates sampling behind the welding helmet

Can use conventional filter holders, but depends on helmet design

Miniaturised samplers under development, but fume loading can be a problem

Further thoughts on control of exposure

Choice of process (eliminate the risk)

Welding parameters (amps, shielding gas)

Posture (head in plume of fume)

Effective LEV 8 principles of Good

Control Practice



In summary

• Exposure to welding fumes and gases may cause serious ill‐health

• A multi‐disciplinary team approach is needed to control health and safety risks




Useful websites

HSE http://www.hse.gov.uk/welding/health‐topics.htm(Health topics in welding)

HSE Statisticshttp://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/manufacturing/index.htm

(H&S statistics for manufacturing)

British Occupational Hygiene Society www.bohs.org(UK professional body with comprehensive information on occupational hygiene)

The Welding Institute http://www.theweldinginstitute.com/(leading trade association)





THANK-YOU FOR LISTENING

Andy Gillies Gillies Associates Limited, www.gilliesassociates.co.uk

email: [email protected]

institution of occupational safety and health | iosh - breathe … · 2018-07-31 · seeks to raise...

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