The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) states that an estimated 500,000 and more employees are at risk for exposure to the physical and chemical hazards of welding, brazing, and cutting. Welding safety begins with understanding what could go wrong and preparing for it if in case it happens. This is why you’d need to incorporate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for your whole body in any welding project, beginning with having the right welding equipment for head and hair protection.
Welding PPE for your Head and Hair
As the gateway to your respiratory health and your body’s command center, your head is the most important part of doing your job. Equipment manufacturers have designed PPE to keep welders safe and make things a lot easier and more comfortable when doing the job. Here are a few must-haves.
Safety Glasses/Goggles
Although some welders don’t wear safety glasses underneath their welding hood, approved eye protection like safety glasses or goggles should be worn at all times and should fit properly. They should also be in good condition. It is recommended that safety glasses/goggles should clearly be ANSI 87.1 compliant made of polycarbonate. Prescription safety glasses with side shields are recommended.
Welding Cap
A welder’s cap protects the head from slag splatter and hot metal. The best ones to use are cotton welding caps or cotton doo-rags. But, a good alternative to this is a baseball cap made of cotton. If you’d like to use a hat, be sure it’s not made of polyester. If your hair is long, tie it back and tuck it inside your welding jacket for extra protection.
Welding Hoods, Helmets, and Shields
Welding helmets, leather or cotton welding hoods, and welding shields are used when performing different types of welding jobs to protect the eyes, face, and neck from ultraviolet light, sparks, flash burn, infrared light, and heat. Whatever helmet you choose, it should be lightweight, has a sensor bar, a spatter shield, it has adjustability, and parts for replacement are available.
Welding PPE Auto-Darkening Welding Helmets
The tech used in Auto-Darkening helmets involves electromagnetic detection of the weld. Since magnetic sensors are added to pick up on the magnetic field of the ark, these helmets respond more consistently to protect the welder’s sight. The helmet improves performance when welding on sunny days or in the outdoors. The lens doesn’t darken until an arc is struck, regardless of sunlight.
Gas Metal-Arc Welding Helmets
Gas metal-arc (MIG) welding requires darker filter lenses because the ultraviolet radiation emitted ranges from 5 to 30 times brighter than welds with covered electrodes.
Powered Air Purifying Respirators
Since welding produces harmful fumes and gases, it is recommended to wear a filter mask, a ½ mask respirator, or a powered air-purifying respirator on the job. Aside from removing contaminants, these units help make the environment for welders more comfortable. The flow of air cools the welder’s face.
Other protective equipment for the head includes earplugs for hearing protection and heat stress relief products. Earplugs protect both the welder’s hearing and keep airborne contaminants from entering the ear canal. Heat stress relief products, on the other hand, reduce temperatures under the hood without having to buy a complete respiratory system.
With these technologies in creating PPE, welding can be a lot safer and more comfortable. Most importantly, it prevents welding-related injuries or illnesses. It’s better that welders get the tools they need to make sure they do their jobs every day and that they feel good and safe about doing it.
