mig welding fumes a problem to health

[aramis1984]

i am concerned about the fumes where i work there is 20 welders working within 5 metres of each other with no screens and no ventillation other than a small roller shutter door, almost every day the lights seemed dim by the fumes and sometimes you can barely see the other side of the workshop, when the light shines through it has the same appearance as seeing cigarette smoke through sunlight.
also all the accumulated smoke dust is rarely cleaned from the floor i understand this is a problem just as much as the fumes??

we have asked for ventilation they bought some fans and said there solicitor said an open door is sufficent i do not believe this + we have no H&S exec

should i be walking out of this job for my own health???

 

[cumbriasteve]

Any fumes are dangerous and I don't see the 'solicitor' link, what have they to do with H&S?

Your employer as well as yourself is responsible for your safety and health and should always be given as much chance as possible to correct things before contacting H&S...which would be your next step, one that can lead to relationship problems with your employer but your health comes first.

 

[aramis1984]

thanks for the reply!,

i know i would get relationship problems occuring due to this but your right my health comes first, are they at any obligation to get the fumes tested or is there an easy cheap way for them to do this? money or lack of is what they allways stress!!!

 

[backpurge]

The people who supply your welding equipment should be able to point you in the right direction, failing that, get in touch with one of the fume extraction companies such as Nederman

 

[norsa]

anyone can contact HSE. a friend, a relative a concerned member of the public. and they are obliged to make a spot check.

 

[Browser]

If they (say they) are skint then disposable fume masks are one of the lowest-cost options.
However, when applying H&S thinking to the situation, I was taught the mnemonic ERICPD, which stands for;
Elimination
Reduce/substitute.
Isolate
Control
PPE
Discipline
i.e. you start with elimination and work your way down the list of control measures, and as you can see PPE comes near the bottom. In other words, you try and put into place all of the other controls before you resort to PPE as THE PRIMARY MEANS OF MINIMISING RISK.
THe HSE take a very dim view of employers who use the 'we can't afford it' excuse, and your employers owe you a duty of care as an employee.
You might find this and this useful to read.
If your employers are (and they appear to be from reading your post) the sort of pricks whi think they are above the law and that any employee who complains is a nuisance, I'd find someone different to work for if that is possible.

 

[Drains]

we have asked for ventilation they bought some fans and said there solicitor said an open door is sufficent i do not believe this + we have no H&S exec

should i be walking out of this job for my own health???

I'm intrigued to see that a solicitor is competent to assess health and safety matters.
You should report this to the H&S Executive, although you'll probably lose your job if they think you clyped on them. Still, you'll be less likely to die of lung cancer or similar, which you can be SURE of if nothing changes.

 

[TechnicAl]

http://www.hse.gov.uk/copd/casestudies/welding2.htm

Their Solicitor is obviously a pillock of the highest order and if this is the type of advice he offers I wouldnt trust him on legal matters either.

Welding fume should be controlled to less than 5mg/m3 of air. The way you monitor this is by a personal fume sampler (a small pump with a filter) and ideally health monitoring (lung function tests). It is the employers responsibility to ensure that the fume level is below the specified limit (5mg/m3)

I assume its only mild steel, low alloy and especially stainless are more toxic and have lower threshold limits.

Google HSE and welding.........lots of info

If they sack you for going to HSE you can claim to be a whistleblower (look that up as well)

 

[penfold]

You only have one set of lungs but you can always get another job; with that number of welders in operation there is no excuse to not have at least portable filter/extractors, although to be properly effective you will probably need an installed system(these work better anyway).

 

[aramis1984]

thanks for all the replies, something has to be done/said if not for my sake for my fellow employees and the boss's kids which work there (yes they put there kids through it too) thanks again!

 

[gordon stephenson]

In my opinion the boss has not even spoken to a solicitor,He is just bluffing, No solicitor would dare put his name to "just open the door" solution to this problem,would be totally caught out by a visit from H.S.E,

 

[blenkie1]

I think its a more common problem than people think. I was in exactly the same position, there was so much reek and dust the lights used to dim. When we complained to the boss he said simply 'open the doors'. Thats ok but what about the middle of winter or when theres to much draught for the welders?

The thing was it was a fairly big company refurbing/ building car transporters. It was not just welding fumes either, burning, grinding, paint fumes, etc. Finally complained to the health and safety dept who could not tell us what was in the fumes (2K paint?) Got a firm into and give us fume monitors to wear for a day. Funnily enough not much work that day!! Results came back clear.

I think I would be writing a letter to HSE, makes it offical, and I think they have to act upon it.

 

[keith19]

I had a situation something like this quite some years back. Needed the job at a bad time, so didn't want to go directly to HSE. Instead I went down the local Union office, and was lucky enough to see the area convener. I explained the situation, and he didn't even ask my name or if I was a member. (I'd have joined up on the spot if it had been necessary, but nowt was said at the time).

Three days later HSE turned the place over and the firm had to change some practices. They were a bit unhappy, but we all got was a lecture from the foreman about how a local Union branch was trying to get members, and keep away from them....

 

[forger]

The problem is.........

Large part of ther prob of unscrupulous employers is the reluctance these days for welders to join a trades union.

Union shops never have to face these kinds of problems or the local rep is all over them like a rash