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Welding is a dangerous job. Welding glasses are types of personal protective equipment (PPE) used by welders. In welding operations, eye injury is most common and dangerous. Welding safety glasses come with infrared (IR) filters that protect eyes from flash burns, ultraviolet rays (UV rays), and flying particles or flying objects during welding operations. It is also reduced irritation from fumes. If the welding safety glasses are not used it may cause severe eye injury.
In industries or any other workplaces, it is mandatory to wear welding glasses with a proper personal protective equipment kit to prevent accidents or injuries during the welding operation. Today welding safety glasses absorb up to 90% of the damaging UV radiation as well as protect the eyes from any welding flash.
For protection from radiant energy, workers must use personal protective equipment, such as safety glasses, goggles, welding helmets, or welding face shields.
Precautions for welding:
- Be sure your welding safety glasses are properly designed to shade the powerful ultraviolet rays coming from welding.
- Arc welding requires darker lens.
- Sometimes welders are used sun glasses during welding but the sunglasses cannot block the ultraviolet rays and it may cause severe eye injuries.
- The best way to control eye injuries while welding is proper selection and use of welding safety glasses.
- Always remember safe welding rules to prevent accidents or injuries.
- Ensure those who will operate welding machine, he must have skilled and well trained.
- Use appropriate personal protective equipment to prevent injuries.
What happened if you are not wear welding glasses?
If the welder does not wear welding safety glasses It may cause severe eye injuries like, burn of the cornea known as welders flash, arc eye, or photokeratitis.
During welding, if the welder doesn’t use welding glasses the arc burns the cornea (Cornea is the very sensitive part of the eye). If the cornea is damaged once then you cannot see for the lifetime and the treatment cost is also very high. So, prevention is better than cure, so wearing welding glasses minimizes eye injury and also prevents eye damage during the welding operation.
Symptoms and remedies for welding flash:
Symptoms:
- Eye excessive watering.
- Eye looks red hot.
- Foreign body sensation, etc.
Remedies: (Remedies for minor injuries):
- Clean the eye with cold water.
- Take rest at least 4 hours to 6 hours (Eye will be closed)
- If after rest you are not feeling well please contact eye doctors.
- In most of the cases the patient will be cure without doctor.
- If the injury is major then immediate go to hospital.
What is shade or lenses in welding glass?
Welding glasses must have filter lenses with a shade number that provides the appropriate level of protection. A shade number indicates the intensity of ultraviolet rays or light radiation that is allowed to pass through a filter lens to one’s eyes. Therefore, the higher the shade number, the darker the filter and the less UV ray’s radiation that will pass through the lens. The lens shade number generally ranges from 2 to 4.
OSHA’S filter shade or lenses recommendations for different welding:
Shade 5 welding glasses:
For light work, shade-5 welding glasses are used. Shade 5 welding glasses are only used for cutting, grinding metal and brazing, etc.
Shade 10 welding glasses:
Shade 10 welding glasses are not dark enough for high amperage welding. For medium amperage welding, shade-10 welding glasses are used. Basically, these types of welding glasses are used for all types of welding but where a large number of ultraviolet rays are produced or high amperage welding shade 10 welding glasses are not used.
Shade 14 welding glasses:
Shade 14 welding glasses are the darkest shade or lens welding glasses. It filters up to 99% of ultraviolet rays and infrared radiation. It is suitable for all types of welding but not for outside welding activities. It is best for arc welding activities or high amperage weldings. Shade-14 welding glasses are the darkest welding glasses.
Auto darkening welding glasses:
Auto-darkening welding glasses are the best choice for those involved in arc welding. Nowadays It is widely used for heavy industrial work.