• Material Process Fume
• Processes Safety
• Welding & Cutting Hazards

Light and Heat Radiation

Electric arc welding and cutting processes produce three forms of radiation; ultra violet (UV), visible and infra red (IR).

Arc welding therefore presents a greater hazard than fuel gas processes as these only produce visible and IR radiation.

Radiation hazards

Arc welding and cutting and fuel gas processes can be damaging to unprotected skin and eyes.

Some of the injuries that can occur include 'erythema' and burning of the skin.

Eye injury

Radiation from welding arcs include eye damage including:

• 'arc eye' (from UV radiation)
• cataracts (from UV and IR radiation)
• retinal burns (from both visible or IR radiation)

Of these non-ionizing types of radiation, UV is the most likely to cause injury primarily because its effects are not noticed by any of the senses at the time of exposure, they only become apparent later.