Welding Fumes and Health Risks: A Comprehensive Overview

Welding Fumes

In 2017, welding fumes were classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, indicating they can cause cancer in humans. To join two pieces of metal by welding, they must be heated to their melting point. Curtin University researchers highlighted that this process generates an airborne mixture of metal fumes, gases, and other ultrafine particles.

Health Risks from Welding Fumes

Welding fumes can cause serious health issues, including an increased risk of cancer, respiratory diseases, neurological disorders, and reproductive problems. Industry experts have been aware of these dangers for decades.

Widespread Exposure Among Welders

Recent research published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health revealed that many individuals working in welding are exposed to carcinogenic fumes at least once a week. Curtin University researchers surveyed 634 people who regularly weld as part of their job. Their responses were analyzed to determine exposure levels.

Lead researcher Dr. Renee Carey noted, “About 90 percent of people who worked in welding were exposed, with 76 percent of those at higher levels that can cause serious health effects.”

Variability in Exposure

The study estimated that approximately 46,000 welders in Australia are exposed to carcinogenic fumes at least once a week. However, not all welding jobs are equal. Welders in rural or offshore areas, as well as those in mining and construction industries, reported higher levels of exposure. Only 19 percent of workplaces used adequate ventilation, and 39 percent provided welding helmets that supplied clean air.

Public Health Concerns

Public Health Association of Australia CEO Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin emphasized the importance of the report, stating that those who weld as part of their job have a 28 percent increased risk of lung cancer. A 2022 study by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization found that high exposure to welding fumes increased the likelihood of trachea, bronchus, and lung cancer by 48 percent.

Professor Slevin clarified that occasional backyard welding does not automatically result in lung cancer but reiterated that the risk increases with more exposure.

Regulatory Challenges

AMWU acting assistant secretary David Henry described current workplace standards for welding as inadequate, with 90 percent of workers being exposed to unsafe levels of welding fumes, violating health and safety legislation. The AMWU has been advocating for stricter regulations. Recently, governments agreed to lower the permissible amount of welding fumes workers can inhale from 5 milligrams per cubic meter to 1 milligram, one of the strictest limits worldwide.

Industry Response

Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden disputed the study’s findings, arguing that if 90 percent of welders were inhaling fumes weekly, the industry would be shut down by Safe Work. He highlighted that the types of fumes depend on the materials being welded and the welding techniques used, noting that welders are not exposed to the most dangerous combinations for extended periods.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-22/welding-warning-workers-exposed-to-carcinogens/104112530

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5 Sticks Occupational Hygienist