What Has Welding Done To Your Health?

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Hey, i'm a student and i'm interested in welding, but I am concerned about the health effects of welding fumes. How long have you been working in this occupation and have you sufferd any sort of health effects due to welding fumes? for example: Manganism-Welding Rod Injury and stuff like that, that casue neurological disorder and Parkinson's disease.
Reply:read some of franz's posts for some ideas of the psychological problems that manifest over the long term.Have you gone through the links at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/weldingcutt...ing/index.html Has quite a few field studies, and offsite links to fun stuff like the CDC info.
Reply:Originally posted by joehobart read some of franz's posts for some ideas of the psychological problems that manifest over the long term.
Reply:I agree with Franz people make the problems, there are safety issues in every field of work. Knowing the safety hazards involved when welding will limit your exposure to it. Galvanized material if sanded off and you keep up wind from it or wear mask or fresh air helmet you'll have no problems.  Good luckJ P Streets Welding LLC
Reply:What has welding done to my health?  Let me think......A few years ago I had extremely high blood pressure, and I was always stressed out.  I had turned my only "real" hobby of woodworking into a business, and I was in bad need of a way to relax.Fast forward to today.  I now have a welding shop/fab shop of sorts.  I have built several items simply because I can.  I get great satisfaction from welding and fabrication, probably more that I ever did from woodworking.My kids have an awesome go-cart.  I have built and or repaired so many items for friends I lost count long ago.  I don't charge anything, I do it for fun.  My BP is lower than it has been in over a decade, and without any medication.  I have a place to vent some steam when things are bothering me, and in a safe and constructive manner.Like anything else in life (including living itself), there are risks in welding.  Knowing what these are, and taking measures to limit exposure to those risks will go a long way towards keeping you healthy.  Heck, drinking water could be hazardous to your health anymore.  Be safe, have fun, and enjoy welding.  I do!
Reply:Simon:Since you are a student and already thinking safety the chances of you falling into a bad situation or working for someone who does not care about your health is not very great. You already have the right attitude. No matter what field of endeavor you end up in. Just remember Murphy's law; What can go wrong will go wrong!
Reply:No problems other than ears eyes nose fingers and feet.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:Originally posted by Sberry No problems other than ears eyes nose fingers and feet.
Reply:So far it has helped me lose some weight in my arse.  See, my wife hates the new fabbing hobby, so every time I do it, she chews out some of my fat arse.
Reply:well, lets see,,,,after the obvious,galvinizing poisioning,theres the effects of EVERY other coating you might have to burn through,but hey, a good ventilation sys and youll prolly survive,,,as for long term effects? i dunno, cant be good though! then theres stuff like: hearing- more weldors than not have sufferd some hearing loss[i know i have!]eyes- cateracts, mostly from the airborne dust created by grinding, etc...but sometimes by hot slag in the ole eyeball[ you havent lived untill a doc straps your head in a frame and takes a DREMEL tool to your EYEBALL!] and then theres FLASHBURN! dont kid yourself, its easy to get "flashed" you can do it to yourself, or get it out of the corner of your eye, when someone`s welding behind you! even clear safety glasses prevent flashburn as it` NOT the darkness of the lens, but the refraction of the harmfull rays that prevent flash![AND slag in your eye!]burns- every weldor i know has burned/welded on a pc of steel then took off his gloves [whilist BSing with someone] then PICKED IT UP![never fails to amuse me, cuz I`V DONE IT MYSELF!!!] the old REDHOT molten slagball down the old shoe is a good one too![breakdancin/hip-hop? WELDORS INVENTED THAT!]now ALL these can be prevented by adherence to good safety practices/wearing correct safety gear!where i learned the trade at[maritime repair/shipyards/industrial steel shops, these places were FRAUGHT with DANGER! i`v seen a weldor pull a lead over a 5gallon metal can of ACETONE, hit a bare spot,ground, explode! he didnt live long enough to hurt![thank god!]seen 2 men die when they pulled a "gantry crane" into the drydock at tampa ship[what a STUPID mistake!]i`v seen a man killed when the air-suction lifting device failed and a 10' x 40' x 1/2" plate fell on him![ i NEVER trusted those things and the "magnetic" devices dont inspire much confidence, either!]saw 2 weldors die [under their hoods] when the steel shop decided to "roll" a large truss with the overhead cranes and when it rolled it got slack in the hooks, lost grip and rolled onto the weldors ![who were working an adjacent project!] i ALWAYS "choke" or shackle to a welded eye when lifting something like this, lessens the chance of losing it!now ALL of these tragity`s occured because of HUMAN ERROR or safety shortcuts in the name of time/expence and COULD have been PREVENTED! but, "to err is human", and happen, they did!so mebbe, your just a hobby weldor, or NEVER plan on getting into a high-production/risky envioro,mebbe your just doing stuff where the basic safety rules/gear and common sense will suffice,, wanna know what I consider to be the most LIKELY hazard in this trade?one that has a medical/surgicle condition nicknamed after it? BACK INJURIES" the boilermakers desease"laminectomy at the L5 vert, here, not fun,life changing injury.......and SO easy to do!weld a leg on that antique cast iron tub?BE CAREFULL when flipping that bad boy over!buddie gives you a 20' pc of 3x3x3/8 angle?BE CAREFULL getting that offa the truck!cant line that big trailer you biult up with the hitch?BE CAREFULL when you grab that tongue!!!you get the picwhile weldors dont have a "lock" on the back injury market, they nearly ALWAYS work with steel, and sooner or later your gonna run into some that is TOO HEAVY TO MOVE BY YOURSELF!be carefull! [have i mentioned that?]AND HAVE FUN!!!it never hurts to look,unless they`r WELDING!
Reply:I came across this article a while back on this subject. Interesting reading and may spur more discussion  of the text. I 'll just pass it on.  Al   Look at http://www.belch.com/welders/
Reply:My engineering boss has his own 20 x 40 backyard shop, replete with a computer controlled Bridgeport, lathes, Do-All, brakes, shear, M/C bandsaws, 3 migs, O/A, stick, 2 heavy duty tigs (one of which he built, including winding the transformer), etc.  He's an engineer and FAA examiner for licensing aircraft mechanics.  He's also the only guy in the Memphis area who will tackle and guarantee tig weld repairs on Porsche magnesium transmission cases.  So I once asked him how he prices outside work like this.  "What do you charge to fix a Porsche case", I asked.  His reply?"MORE IF I BURN MYSELF!"
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Reply:i think that you can work smart or you can work hard, you will have a much safer, longer career if you chose to work smart.stay away from galvanized jobswhen welding  have proper ventalationsaftey glasses are well worth the moneyknow your surroundings, ie your machine is is good running order, flamable material.ectif you think that you cant lift it dont try.steel toe boots are a good investment too
Reply:Careful with your answers here. There is a lawsuit in progress right now with a major electrode manufacturer concerning the exact question Simon has asked. I would wonder if he is an attorney or if his dad is. Just a thought.Mike ShermanCWI/CWE
Reply:BOYS AND GIRLS THE WORD FOR TODAY IS ....NARC...DAMM LAWYERS !!!!!!
Reply:Mike that scumbag lawyer is gonna get rich screwin both the manufacturer and the poor bastards who are sick and dumb enough to believe the lawyer's presentation.When the lodwellin sumbich gets tired of his new yacht, he will become a Dummycrap candidate for President.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-