Begninning welding, health concerns over the long term?

admin

Hi guys,I'm looking at playing a bit on the side,  (I'm currently a plumbing apprentice)  and possibly looking at an apprenticeship in welding.One of the reasons that I'd swing to welding,  is that I'm 36 and have some bumps and bruises from physical sports and a couple of minor car accidents.I'd think that welding might be slightly easier on the body.What are the vented hoods like these days?  My neighbor has one with the backpack filter and says it works great.With some smart working habits, and careful work,  can you stay healthy over the long run?Thanks for any thoughts.Ryan
Reply:Originally Posted by ryan2022Hi guys,I'm looking at playing a bit on the side,  (I'm currently a plumbing apprentice)  and possibly looking at an apprenticeship in welding.One of the reasons that I'd swing to welding,  is that I'm 36 and have some bumps and bruises from physical sports and a couple of minor car accidents.I'd think that welding might be slightly easier on the body.What are the vented hoods like these days?  My neighbor has one with the backpack filter and says it works great.With some smart working habits, and careful work,  can you stay healthy over the long run?Thanks for any thoughts.Ryan
Reply:Thanks John,  I appreciate the response.I may end up buying Daves helmet if things go well.   I'm not sure if this posted twice!
Reply:It is very important you wear safety glasses to protect your eyes, earplugs to protect your ears, clothing to protect your skin from burns from the spatter, slag as well as from uv rays from the arc, etc...Most shops are well ventilated but some wear respirators and what you described attached to the welding helmet. People in this field will tell you welding is hard on the body, you get a lot of bumps and bruises and if your not careful broken bones as well as death. Steel is very heavy and accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Depending where you will be working only a small part of your day will actually be spent welding. The rest will be spent preparing the work.
Reply:Staying Healthy is just common sense, when welding if your making a lot of fumes then yes, go for a filter pack but to be honest unless your welding stainless or cast iron every day then a normal helmet will do with some LEV or Natural Ventilation. If you go about it the right way a career in welding is more safer than becoming a Taxi driver. You just need to use some protection as advised above and you'll be doing it till you retire!Working in a workshop has numerous hazards, you need to ensure you know what these are and how to lower any risks, no one can be 100% accident free in whatever job you do but if your careful and have your wits about you then welding is a safe job as any
Reply:Thanks a lot guys.I appreciate the input.  I'm holding off applying for two weeks. A friend of mine is working towards supervisor.  I'll let you know how I make out.
Reply:protect your lungs, something I wish I had done more of in the early days.
Reply:In the short of it..if you smoke cigarettes..dont worry too much about good breathing equipment....its funny to see guys or gals complaining about on the job health issues when they drink like a fish and smoke like chimneys.....yes I drink socially and like to enjoy a few cigars....but I wont complain about the consequences down the road...but common sense practices to stay safe are the most important...Of all the things I lost I miss my mind the most...I know just enough about everything to be dangerous......You cant cure stupid..only kill it...
Reply:Originally Posted by roadkillbobbIn the short of it..if you smoke cigarettes..dont worry too much about good breathing equipment....its funny to see guys or gals complaining about on the job health issues when they drink like a fish and smoke like chimneys.....yes I drink socially and like to enjoy a few cigars....but I wont complain about the consequences down the road...but common sense practices to stay safe are the most important...
Reply:depends on what kind of welding you do . Tig seems to be very very clean and practically smoke free. Stick on the other hand is very very smoky.
Reply:Had a guy tell me once that he was quitting. Said the dr told him to find a non welding job so he could get over his recurring bronchitis/pneumonia. While he was telling his story he was rolling a cigarette.  I just chuckled and wished him well in his future endeavors.Ranger 250 GXTSmith Gas Axe
Reply:Welding easier on the body than plumbing, don't count on it. I worked in a shop in the 90's with a guy that had a $1200 helmet with 3 filters on a back pack. This was before the powered respirators were common. It had a inner cotton hood you wore so the only air you breathed was filtered. At breaks the guy would take the helmet off and have a couple smokes. Of course when you question his logic, he smokes the lowest tar cigarette's so it's not too bad. The guy thought he was god's gift to welding but was just an a-hole. He was making up stories trying to get me in trouble so his friend that was just  hired could work beside him pipe spooling. It kind of backfired on him though. Not only did they tell him to mind his own business, he got laid off just before Christmas and never got a bonus. He was hired quite awhile before I was. I think his trying to tell me the dayshift foreman was complaining about my work had a lot to do with it. My foreman (night shift) said nobody had any complaints with my work. He said my x-rays pass and they realize I was pretty new to pipe spooling and it was good experience for me. You got to like it when your boss looks out for you. The night  pipe fitter foreman however was the most 2 faced guy I ever met. Tells you he can't stand this other guy then is all buddy, buddy with him.
Reply:I try to work outside almost always, back to the wind, a 1 mph wind takes it all away. Quality shops with good vent. Working out your lungs with exercise after work helps enormously.Last edited by uclueletmetal; 03-20-2015 at 02:14 AM.