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A Guide to Effectively Using Welding Clothing in Winter

December 16, 2023 by waylander_fiona

Welding in winter requires careful consideration of both safety and comfort. The right use of welding clothing in winter during colder months can make a significant difference in a welder’s ability to work efficiently and protect themselves from the harsh elements. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to make the most of your welding clothing in winter:

How to Effectively Use Welding Clothing in Winter

Layering for Optimal Warmth:

Start with a moisture-wicking base layer to keep sweat away from the skin.

Add insulating layers for warmth, ensuring flexibility and ease of movement.

The outer layer should be a flame-resistant welding jacket and pants to protect against sparks and splatter.

Choose the Right Materials for welding clothing in winter:

Opt for flame-resistant materials to ensure protection against welding-related hazards.

Look for clothing with insulation to provide an extra barrier against the cold.

Protective Headgear:

Wear a welding helmet with a proper face shield to shield your eyes from welding arc light.

Ensure that the headgear fits snugly to prevent cold air from reaching your face and neck.

Insulated Gloves:

Invest in insulated welding gloves to keep your hands warm while maintaining dexterity.

Ensure that the gloves are flame-resistant and provide adequate protection against sparks and heat.

Warm Footwear:

Wear insulated and steel-toed boots to protect your feet from both the cold and potential hazards on the welding site.

Consider adding thermal socks for additional warmth.

Utilize Heated Clothing:

Embrace the advancements in heated welding clothing technology, including jackets, vests, and gloves with built-in heating elements.

Adjust the heat settings based on the severity of the cold, providing a customizable solution for winter welding.

Stay Dry:

Use water-resistant or waterproof outer layers to prevent moisture from penetrating and compromising the insulation.

Wet clothing can significantly reduce the effectiveness of insulation, making it crucial to stay dry.

Frequent Inspections:

Regularly inspect your welding clothing for any signs of wear, tear, or damage.

Replace or repair garments promptly to maintain their protective properties.

Ventilation Management:

While it’s essential to stay warm, proper ventilation is equally crucial to disperse welding fumes.

Balance staying warm with ensuring a well-ventilated workspace.

Take Breaks and Stay Hydrated:

Working in cold conditions can lead to fatigue and dehydration.

Schedule regular breaks to warm up, and stay hydrated to maintain energy levels.

Know Your Limits:

Understand your body’s response to cold weather and know when it’s time to take a break.

Extreme cold can affect concentration and reaction time, so listen to your body and prioritize safety.

By implementing these strategies, welders can effectively use welding clothing in winter, ensuring both protection and comfort. The right combination of layering, quality materials, and modern technologies can make winter welding a more manageable and productive experience.

Best Welding Jacket for Summer

March 17, 2022 by waylander_fiona

Spring is here and that means summer is just around the corner! It’s back to welding in hot temperatures. That means it’s time for you to suit up! Get yourself a breathable welding jacket or a lightweight welding jacket that will give you the comfort you need while also getting maximum protection. But with all the options out there for welding jackets, how do you choose the best one? Here are some factors you need to consider in buying the best welding jacket for summer.

Your Guide to Buying the Best Welding Jacket for Summer

Material

The first thing you need to consider is the type of material. During the summer, you need something lightweight and breathable. The best material for a summer welding jacket is cotton. For this season, the less leather the better.

While leather is the best material for welding jackets, using cotton welding jackets in the summer will increase airflow which then provides more breathable comfort. Plus, leather welding jackets can get heavy. Cotton welding jackets are lighter which gives you more room for movement.

Color

This can sometimes be overlooked. As you know, a brighter color deflects sunlight while a darker color absorbs heat. So in choosing a summer welding jacket, go for the lighter shades.

Comfort

When it comes to buying the best welding jacket for the summer, always go for one size bigger than your actual or usual size. If you go with your usual size, it may feel too tight which you wouldn’t want at all. With the extra heat during this season, you’d want all the breathing room and comfort you can get.

Type of Welding

Whatever type of welding you do, you always need welding PPE. Safety is always a must. If you do TIG weld, you don’t get too exposed to spatter. In this case, some would just use a welding shirt. But for the other types of welding processes, you are definitely exposed to more spatter which could burn through any fiber.

Consider alternatives like a hybrid welding jacket – a cotton welding jacket with leather welding sleeves. There are options like this that you could get so you don’t worry about getting unwanted burns.

These are some factors to consider in buying the best welding jacket for the summer. If you want to invest in something, invest in premium welding clothing. Invest in comfort and maximum protection!

What Not to Do When Wearing FR Clothing

September 17, 2021 by waylander_fiona

It’s not enough that you wear Flame Retardant (FR) clothing. It pays to know the right way to wear them and know what not to do when wearing them. Remember, wearing FR clothing correctly can give maximum protection, but if worn improperly or out of the industry standards, they become less effective. Here we give you the common mistakes welders do in wearing FR clothing.

What not to do in wearing FR Clothing

Do not wear FR clothing without a Non-FR outer layer

While you have your FR clothing on, you need to make sure that you are wearing an FR outer layer. It can be tempting to wear a non-FR jacket most especially during the cold weather. But chances are, that outer layer can still ignite and burn putting you at risk.

Do not wear a Non-FR synthetic underlayer

One other thing you need to remember is that when you wear FR clothing, make sure you are wearing an FR underlayer as well. T-shirts that are made out of polyester or synthetic materials can help with moisture management but these are not flame resistant and can even melt to the skin.

two welders working — Photo via unsplash.com

Do not roll up your sleeves

While this can be a challenge most especially if you are beating the heat, rolling up your sleeves exposes your arms to welding spatter. The best thing to do is to look for FR clothing that is lightweight so you get maximum comfort and maximum protection.

Do not unbutton your FR clothing

It’s important to know that unbuttoning your FR clothing can expose your skin to heat and welding spatter. If you’re wearing non FR clothing underneath, for example, heat can easily ignite and burn which leaves you unprotected.

Do not leave your shirt untucked

In wearing welding clothing, you should always check if your shirt is tucked in properly. If not, heat and flame can go under and lead to greater injury. Make sure that when you buy FR clothing, get one that is purposefully made with long shirttails.

These are just some of the things a welder needs to remember when wearing FR clothing to get that maximum protection that it is made to provide.

Flame Resistant Welding Clothing: What You Need to Know

July 9, 2021 by waylander_fiona

As welders, fire is something we deal with on a daily basis. This is why we go to lengths just to know more about welding protective clothing and equipment and how to get maximum protection while on the job. Here, we get to know more about flame-resistant welding clothing and why it is a need to have them.

What is Flame Resistant Welding clothing?

At first, when you see or hear the word flame resistant, you’d think that fire will simply bounce off that piece of clothing. Let’s get one thing straight. Flame Resistant clothing will still burn when it is directly exposed to flame. But, when that piece of clothing is taken away from the flame, it will stop or cease to burn.

Flame Resistant clothing is made from self-extinguishing materials that stop a piece of clothing from further burning. So, if you have a Flame Resistant welding shirt or Flame Resistant welding jacket, then it means when you get exposed to fire, you have time to pull away from the fire before it brings further damage.

Flame Resistant vs Flame Retardant

When you say FR clothing, it can be quite confusing. Why? Because this is usually split into two main groups. You have Flame Resistant clothing and Flame Retardant clothing. What’s the difference between these two?

Flame Resistant means the clothing or the fabric itself is literally made of resistant material. It isn’t just a layer or covering. This means, no matter how many times you wash the clothing, it will still be flame resistant.

Flame Retardant, on the other hand, is clothing with a coat of fire-resistant material. The difference it has from flame-resistant clothing is that once that coat of fire-resistant material wears off, then that piece of clothing will just be an ordinary piece of fabric or cloth.

This is why you should only purchase high-quality flame retardant welding clothing that can last for a longer period of time compared to cheaper FR clothing, which will only last you few months.

FR welding clothing is a must-have. If you need a welding hood to protect your head and hair, you need FR clothing so you won’t burst into flame while on the job. Make sure you choose only the best FR welding clothing that uses high-quality materials. Never settle for anything cheap when it comes to welding protection. In welding, safety is always a top priority.