Safety and prevention of burns in welding work

Welding is a large and diverse industry, and light metal industries are a type derived from it and have many potential risks. Education to work safely is as important as being a professional in the welding industry, and following all safety rules and procedures is your own responsibility. Accidents and risks do not need to injure a specific person, so the obvious thing is to deal with each process on its own, and since you are the responsible person, only you can anticipate all possible risks about the process, and you can obtain information related to the safety of equipment and tools from their manufacturers or the customer who organizes the process .

Welding site accidents may go beyond the mere injury of a person and may lead to serious accidents that may result in local investigations and perhaps national security or state security, and work may be stopped for several days, weeks or months, and the project may stop permanently, and thus a huge financial loss, and you may personally stop working without Pay and if the investigation shows that you are the reason, you will lose your job forever.

The following points define the goal of this topic. If the goal is not achieved or something is not clear, please tell me in the comments

Describe the three classifications of burns and the emergency steps that must be taken to treat each
Describe the risks posed by the three types of light during welding and how to protect yourself and others from this danger

Burn ratings

Burns are one of the most common and painful injuries that occur in welding workshops. They may occur due to ultraviolet radiation, and the chances of injury become high by direct contact with the flame or hot welding materials. In the end, burns cause death and charring of the skin tissue. Therefore, it is important that all burns receive appropriate medical treatment. to reduce the risk of infection.

Burns are medically divided into three classifications according to the degree of severity, which are burns of the first, second, and third degrees, and whether the burn is caused by a hot substance or from light that can be prevented and avoided if appropriate clothing and other protective equipment are worn. Below is a detailed explanation.

First degree burns

It is classified when the surface of the skin is reddish in color and somewhat painful, but it does not include dead tissues. The first step in treating it is to place the affected area under cold water (not ice) or to make cold water compresses using a piece of cloth made of clean cotton or using wet wipes until The temperature decreases and the pain decreases, then the affected area is covered with sterile bandages or a clean cloth. In general, do not use ointments, medicines, or other home remedies, as it will heal automatically, and you can consult and follow the doctor’s recommendation if you want.

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First degree burns

Second degree burns

It also occurs when the surface of the skin is severely damaged, which leads to the formation of blisters and skin deformities, but the skin hair is still present, and the first step in treating second-degree burns is to place the affected area under cold water, or put cold water compresses until the pain decreases, then the area is dried with a clean towel And tie the area with a sterile bandage or a clean piece of cloth to prevent infection from external bacterial factors.

The necessary medical care must also be taken if the injury is around the mouth or nose or involves the nasal hairs and the injury does not develop and breathing problems occur. Do not use sprays, ointments or home remedies unless under the supervision of a specialist doctor.

In general, in an emergency, any cold liquid can be poured on the affected area, such as cold water, cold tea, soft drinks, or milk, and its purpose is to lower the skin temperature as quickly as possible to reduce damage to the internal tissues, as shown in the following figure.

Place a piece of cloth soaked in cold water around the burned area (face – feet – hands) to cool it
Cover and bandage the area with thick, sterile, non-fluffy bandages.
Call an ambulance immediately.

People with third-degree burns in a small area of the body need to consult a doctor. Please see the following figure

Third degree burns

Burns caused by light

Some types of light generated during the welding procedure can cause burns. In the electric arc welding processes, three types of light are produced, two of which cannot be seen by the human eye without the use of visual aids such as cameras.

UV (invisible)
infrared (invisible)
Ordinary light rays (visible)

While in gas welding processes only two types of rays are produced, namely

Infrared
normal visible light

The light resulting from welding operations is reflected through walls, ceilings, floors, and through large surfaces in the welding area, and the reflected light is no less dangerous than direct welding light. To reduce the risk of reflected light, all walls and surfaces must be painted with dark paint, for example (black, dark blue, brown). Due to its ability to absorb light rays more than any other color.

But if the welding is in an external location where there are no walls, special transparent or thick curtains must be used, which are made of flame-resistant plastic materials that bear high temperature, which will prevent harmful light from passing outside.

Knowing the need to use these curtains to protect other workers in the area so as not to be exposed to radiation

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Protective welding curtains, radiation hazards and their relationship to degrees of burns

Ultraviolet radiation is the most dangerous and sometimes it is classified as part of ionizing radiation, and since it cannot be seen during electric arc welding operations, direct exposure to it can cause first and second degree burns to the eyes or exposed skin tissues.

The risk increases whenever the worker is close to the arc or when the electric current is increased and direct looking at the welding light for a period of seconds will lead to exposure and cause direct burning of the eye and a flash will occur with no vision for a few seconds. within minutes of exposure time.

Knowing that ultraviolet rays can penetrate light or light-colored clothes and can also penetrate damaged, poorly maintained or poorly manufactured helmets.

Infrared rays are light waves that are felt in the form of heat during gas welding operations. Although infrared light can cause burns, the worker will be able to feel the heat and thus feel this type of radiation.

Humans can also be exposed to ultraviolet rays at the same time, and therefore every welder must take preventive measures to cover himself well.

Visible light is the rays of light that we see that are produced during the welding process in different colors and when the welding light is looked at directly it will lead to temporary night blindness (visual impairment under low light levels), although normally the low light level causes eye strain though this This type of visible light is not as dangerous as its predecessors.
Second degree burns Third degree burns

The type of burns of the third degree is observed when some white tissue appears or the skin itself is charred, and there may be some pain due to the destruction of nerve cells, but the most important thing in the beginning is to follow the following emergency steps

Do not remove clothes stuck to the burn or the affected area.
Do not put ice water or snow on the burn as it will increase the shock reaction.
Do not use ointments, sprays, antispasmodics, or home remedies.
If the victim is on fire, extinguish the flames with a non-combustible blanket, rug, or jacket

Since there is difficulty in breathing if the burns are in the face area or around the neck and mouth, it must be ensured that the victim is breathing well. The following emergency precautions must also be taken