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Oxyacetylene cutting and respirator

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afdmello
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Oxyacetylene cutting and respirator

Post by afdmello »

Hi Folks,

We do gas cutting on carbon steel channels and angles.The welders use shade 5 shields and a face shield. They are reluctant to wear respirators as the duration of cutting is not more than 2 minutes.

Is there a way to quantify when we need to wear a respirator when doing cutting?

AFD
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WillPool
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Re: Oxyacetylene cutting and respirator

Post by WillPool »

afdmello wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2019 2:25 pm Hi Folks,

We do gas cutting on carbon steel channels and angles.The welders use shade 5 shields and a face shield. They are reluctant to wear respirators as the duration of cutting is not more than 2 minutes.

Is there a way to quantify when we need to wear a respirator when doing cutting?

AFD
Apart from their health? :shock: The HSE are also tightening their grip on welding fume,see HSE Safety Alert (in 2nd link)

Info here: https://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/blo ... ing-masks/

And here: https://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/blo ... ds/HSE.pdf

The following is an extract from the second link:

Where LEV alone does not adequately control exposure, it should be supplemented by adequate and suitable respiratory protective equipment
(RPE) to protect against the residual fume.
Appropriate RPE should be provided for welding outdoors. You should ensure welders are suitably instructed and trained in the use of these
controls.
Regardless of duration, HSE will no longer accept any welding undertaken without any suitable exposure control measures in place, as there is no known level of safe exposure.

Also from the same document:
Actions:
1. Make sure exposure to any welding fume released is adequately controlled using engineering controls (typically LEV).
2. Make sure suitable controls are provided for all welding activities, irrelevant of duration. This includes welding outdoors.
3. Where engineering controls alone cannot control exposure, then adequate and suitable RPE should be provided to control risk from any
residual fume.
4. Make sure all engineering controls are correctly used, suitably maintained and are subject to thorough examination and test where required.
5. Make sure any RPE is subject to an RPE programme[1]. An RPE programme encapsulates all the elements of RPE use you need to ensure
that your RPE is effective in protecting the wearer

There is also another post which is slightly relevant to this as well:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=48822

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Re: Oxyacetylene cutting and respirator

Post by Woodie »

In one of my previous roles working for a welding and cutting company, all personnel were supplied with suitable masks by 3M

https://www.3m.co.uk/3M/en_GB/worker-he ... ty-centre/
Truth never damages a cause that is just. GANDHI (1869-1948)

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Re: Oxyacetylene cutting and respirator

Post by Jack Kane »

Ask them if they would lick the welding dust from their workbench.

I bet they wouldn't!

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