Must-Have Personal Protective Equipment for Welders
Welding is an occupation that deals with a bevy of dangerous materials. That’s why there is such a wide range of must-have personal protective equipment for welders to wear while they work. If you’re getting back into welding or trying it out for the first time, this guide will help you understand the importance of some of the most vital pieces of PPE you’ll need to have. That way, you can stay safe while welding.
Face Protection
There are two key pieces of equipment that act as face and eye protection. Firstly, there’s the iconic welding helmet. As you weld, you must have a welding mask that has a large shielding mask surrounding your face and a clear window for you to look through. Additionally, some tasks require a set of safety goggles to wear underneath your mask. Wearing this equipment will protect your eyes and face from common welding hazards like radiation, bright lights, and harmful debris.
Respirators
A welding novice may not realize it at first, but a high-quality respirator is vital to have while working. That’s because welding creates dangerous fumes and oxides that can cause immense damage to the human body. With the help of a respirator, you can breathe in fresh, safe air while you work. It’s for this reason that all welding workspaces need to have good ventilation as well.
Fire-Resistant Clothes
Making sure your clothes cover your entire body so that there is no exposed skin is important for welding safety. However, it’s also important to make sure those clothes are fire-resistant. Due to the intense temperatures you’ll produce as you weld, covering yourself head to toe with fireproof clothes is necessary at all times. That way, you can avoid accidentally catching your protective pants or shirts on fire while you carry out your daily tasks.
Shock-Resistant Gear
You won’t just be dealing with intense heat while you weld—you’ll also deal with quite a bit of electricity. Because of this, the boots and gloves you wear must prevent shocks from occurring while you weld. To make sure you have the right shock-resistant gear, choose boots that have steel toes and rubber soles. Additionally, your work gloves should have proper insulation to keep your hands safe from shocks.
These are some of the most important must-have personal protective equipment for welders, but it’s certainly not the only type of PPE the job requires. Once you learn about every single piece of safety apparel and precautions you’ll need to successfully weld, you can carry out tasks with ease and security.
