PPE in the Welding Industry

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is equipment whose design and intention is to protect an individual’s body from the hazards involved in their job or workplace. For welders this includes dust, flying particles, debris, burns, noise, light, radiation, contaminants, and many more. But by wearing proper protection and getting appropriate training, it is possible to work safely in this dangerous field.

PPE Regulations

In Chapter 2, Physical Hazards in the Welding Environment we discussed what welders must be protected from and why. We also introduced the Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA), which provides regulations that employers and jobsites in the United States must follow to ensure a safe workplace for employees. Oftentimes this involves things like putting safety guards in place on tools and equipment or requiring fall protection for individuals working above a certain height. But there are times when safety guards, guide rails, and harnesses are not a plausible solution for the hazard at hand, like protecting a welder from the ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) rays on a welding arc. For these hazards, there is PPE for the body to mitigate the risk to the health and well-being of the worker.

There is a list of OSHA regulations regarding proper PPE. We will look over a few specific ones here. But know that this text provides some basic information and knowledge for a new welder to start to work safely. This does not take the place of OSHA or other safety training regarding PPE and its proper use and care.

PPE must meet OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132, which states that PPEt for the face, eyes, head, and extremities must be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary, reliable condition whenever specific hazards are present.

This means that not only does a worker need to have the required PPE for the task at hand, but it also needs to be kept clean and in working condition for the original purpose the item was designed for. Wearing a fall protection harness is not adequate if the harness is too big or held together with duct tape. It would no longer be in proper working order or capable of doing the task it was designed to do.

OSHA Standard 1910 also states that the employee must be provided training on how to use the equipment, clean it, and fit it properly. It also regulates that the equipment be replaced if the version is considered obsolete or damaged unintentionally on the job. An employer is not required to replace the item if it was intentionally damaged or lost. Employers can also choose to require additional training for the PPE if the employee cannot demonstrate its proper use or changes their jobsite or job.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is another agency that regulates PPE and job safety standards. However, they cannot enforce their requirements; OSHA can regulate enforcement because it is the law. ANSI is often seen as a more specific set of standards created for a certain task, whereas OSHA can be very detailed and provide legal requirements employers must adhere to. Additionally, other federal safety regulations take precedence or are not governed by OSHA regulations. For instance, the Federal Aviation Administration whas its own PPE and safety regulations.

This is a list of OSHA regulations  that are directly relevant to welding:

• 1910.252: general requirements for welding, cutting, and brazing;
• 1910.133: eye and face protection;
• 1910.134: respiratory protection;
• 1910.94: ventilation;
• 1910.95: occupational noise exposure; and
• 1910.137: electrical protective equipment.

Care and Storage of PPE

Proper use, wear, and cleaning of PPE is part of the welder’s responsibility, as is keeping the PPE clean, caring for the equipment while it is in their possession, and storing it away after use. For an illustration of the importance of these tasks, consider respirators. When respirator filters become excessively dirty, they are no longer capable of effectively doing their job, exposing the welder to breathing in the toxic fumes the filter was designed to filter out. Therefore, cleaning and maintaining the filter is essential.

It may be that the welding helmet you use on the job is one of many that get circulated in a small shop. Alternatively, many welders purchase their own welding hood/helmet rather than share. However, there may be a time you forget it, lose it, or it gets damaged during a job and then it becomes your task to replace it. Some jobsites will have a loaner on hand.

Inspect your welding hood. Does the headgear inside work or does it constantly flop down over your face while you are moving? Is the screen clean, or is there major debris and burns? Do you need to replace it? Not all welding hoods are auto-darkening and may not have certain features like grind mode, sensitivity settings, or the ability to change to different lens shades. If your hood does have those features, consider whether your battery works.

Over time, electronic welding helmets need to be replaced when the optics no longer work as designed. Working in the wrong optic mode because the needed one stopped working properly can cause damage to your eyes or prevent you from seeing the area to be welded.

If you have a helmet without electronic features, you are less likely to run into some of these issues. Regardless of the type of headgear used, it is important to keep your welding screen clean, clear, and without cracks.

When not worn, safety glasses should be stored in a soft cloth bag so that the lenses don’t get scratched. Hearing protection must be cleaned and replaced frequently. Welders also need to keep their arms, legs, and head covered from sparks and molten metal.

If a company requires certain PPE, they must pay for and provide it—employees should not have to purchase these items themselves. This and other PPE can be a welder’s cap, a bandana, gloves, jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, or a welding jacket. These items may not require special care in keeping them clean after use. However, proper storage of the welding jacket, gloves, boot covers, etc. might be as simple as hanging them in your work locker.