Welding in itself is already a challenge. Welding in extreme weather conditions adds to that challenge. And if you’re welding in summer, there are some risks and you need to avoid them and take extra precautions. Here we talk about the risks and how you, as a welder, could avoid them.
Welding in the Summer: The Risks
According to CDC, 285 construction workers died from heat-related causes between 1992 and 2016, more than a third of all U.S. occupational deaths from heat exposure. While many of the risks of welding in hot weather are universal to all jobs, some are specific to welding.
Sweat
The first is sweat. Even if it isn’t summer, sweating is normal while on the job. You are dealing with molten steel after all. But during summer, the amount of sweat you produce doubles and that poses a threat. Sweat can drip into your eyes and it can affect your performance. It can also affect your ability to grip objects. The biggest threat, though, is electrocution. If your clothes or welding gloves get saturated with sweat, a single touch can shock you.
Heat Stroke/Heat Exhaustion
The most serious heat-related sickness is heat stroke. It happens when the body loses the ability to regulate its temperature, causing the body’s temperature to increase quickly, the sweating system to malfunction, and the body to be unable to cool down. Within 10 to 15 minutes after the onset of heat stroke, the body temperature can reach 106°F or more.
Heat exhaustion, on the other hand, is when the body reacts to an excessive loss of water and salt because of excessive sweating. This then produces heat exhaustion.
It’s normal for you to do work with fire and heat. But if you have the heat of the sun competing with that, working becomes more difficult. You lose energy easily and you get disoriented. You start to get blurry vision and you experience shortness of breath. The worst thing that can happen is you pass out while on the job and that is never good.
Distractions
If you feel hot, you get distracted. You lose concentration because of discomfort. Sweat dripping from a welder’s face can easily distract one from the welding job at hand. Getting distracted at any point while working can pose a threat not just to the welder himself/herself, but to other people around as well.
What can welders do to avoid the risks?
There are a few things a welder can do in order to avoid the risks of welding in the summer.
Drink a lot of water. Stay hydrated.
When dealing with heat, staying hydrated is always key. A welder battles the sun in addition to having white-hot flame inches from his body. Everything is fighting against him and it sucks the water from the body. Don’t rely on any one symptom to determine when to stop and get some water because heat exhaustion can happen even if you aren’t sweating. Recognize your boundaries and lean on the side of caution – drink a lot of water.
Use Sweat Absorption Clothing
Wearing the appropriate summer welding clothing is very important. You need lightweight, light-colored, and flame-retardant welding clothing that protects you and helps you keep cool while at work. This would reduce the risks of sweating and heat stroke.
Use Cooling Bands
Welders frequently use cooling bands to prevent heat fatigue. Use lightweight commercial cooling bands and cooling belts to direct cool air to the head and core to keep the body cool. Many of these devices are designed specifically for the welding profession, which means that they offer priceless heat protection without restricting the welder’s range of motion or ability to do the task safely.
These are just some of the things that you can do as a welder to avoid the risks while welding in the summer. So, the next time you start work, remember to always bring a water bottle with you and take a break to stay hydrated.
