The welding of metals causes the formation of harmful fumes and fine particles. Failure to discharge welding fumes from the working environment in the right way leads to an unhealthy working environment, threatening occupational health and safety.
Different welding methods produce different amounts of fumes containing various hazardous substances. Failure to take adequate precautions during the welding process can lead to unhealthy work environments, production losses, inefficiencies and employee unrest.
Welding fumes pose a risk
R. Bora Boysan, General Manager of Bomaksan, which has been developing solutions for the dust, gas and smoke problems of industrial facilities for 35 years, gave the following information about the effects of welding fumes: “All welding methods cause various amounts of smoke containing dangerous substances of varying density. Hexavalent Chromium Cr (VI), Manganese, Nickel and Lead are high-risk elements and can seriously harm the human body in the short and long term. Smoke is the dense gathering of particles that cannot be seen with the naked eye and become visible in a thin layer. In other words, the particles in the welding fume are usually 0,01 – 0,1 μm in size, which means that it is very easy for the harmful particles in the welding fume to penetrate the lungs.”
Welding smoke is classified as "Occupational Disease"
Underlining that welding operators should be careful not to breathe this smoke during welding, Bomaksan General Manager Bora Boysan said, “Otherwise, the particles in the smoke can cause various diseases. This type of diseases is classified as 'Occupational Disease' for welding operators and has very serious sanctions for employers. Welding fumes affect not only the welding operators, but also the life of the production equipment and the quality of the manufactured products. The sensitive electronic structure of welding robots, which have been used frequently in recent years, is also adversely affected by these fine particles and can cause irreparable damage in the long run.
It is very important to choose the suction hood and duct project correctly.
Emphasizing that in order for the welding fume extraction system or dust collection system to work effectively, all components that make up the system must be selected and designed correctly, Bora Boysan said, “Otherwise, the system can be as strong and effective as the weakest link of the components. Think of an antique 1940s vehicle. Even if we put the engine of a state-of-the-art sports car on this car, the maximum speed it can achieve depends on the vehicle's wheels, clutch system, suspension and driver. As in this example, if your dust collection and fume extraction system does not have a properly designed and positioned suction hood and duct project, your dust collection unit will not perform well, even if it is the latest technology. For this reason, it is very important to choose the suction hood and duct project correctly in order to eliminate the effects of welding fumes.
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