Some Workplace Hazards and Remedies

Some Workplace Hazards and Remedies 1 of 3

SPRAY PAINTING

Spray Painting includes the preparation of surfaces using chemical stripers, heat, abrasives and surface coating using brushes, rollers, spraying, dipping or electrostatic methods.  Paints compose of a wide range of chemical substances i.e. pigments, solvents, dryers, extenders etc.  Some may be toxic, but can be used if suitable precautions are taken.

The hazards may come through the lungs during breathing (inhalation), through the skin or eyes (direct contact, absorption) or though the mouth and digestive system when swallowing (ingestion).   Without appropriate precautions these substances have the potential to cause ill health effects such as: Irritation, Dermatitis, Sensitisation, Poisoning and Occupational Asthma

Regular or routine health surveillance like lung function testing, urine sampling etc, may be required dependent on the type of paints used in the spray painting process.

This will ensure ongoing monitoring of persons exposed to the risks so health concern(s) can be identified at the earliest possible stages.  It will also allow additional action to be taken such as the review of current control measures like elimination, substitution, engineering controls, isolation, containment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

WELDING

There are two types of welding operations namely electric (arc) welding and gas welding.  Gas welding involves the use of gases, which are highly combustible (oxygen, acetylene) and arc the use of electricity.

The hazard(s) associated with both types of welding include: Fires/Flashbacks, Oxygen Enrichment, Electric Shock, Burns, Metal Fume/Metal Fume Fever and Arc Eye 

Metal Fume/Welding Fume Fever

Welding fume is a mixture of particles generated during welding, brazing, gas cutting and similar processes, but not soldering.  Welding fume has an Occupational Exposure Standard as defined in Guidance Document EH40 Occupational Exposure Limits (as used within the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999).

Exposure values will be established via environmental monitoring of the work area, which provides a reading of the level of fume given off during welding operations.  This will confirm if the occupational exposure limit is being exceeded or not.  Details ascertained from environmental monitoring will be used as a basis for any control measures required.  Where exposure cannot be controlled by good ventilation alone etc, employees will be provided with respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to protect them from inhalation of hazardous fumes. Welding Fume Fever can come from both arc and gas welding, but presents a far greater risk in arc.

The most serious cases occur where welding is carried out on galvanised metals like cadmium, zinc, mercury, chromium, tin and copper.

The ill effects come from inhalation of fumes, but do not occur until several hours after exposure.

Symptoms begin with shivers, headaches, aching joints and high temperatures (similar to a bad bout of flu).  Although metal fume fever is not a particularly serious illness it can be extremely painful.

Remedies

The simplest way to avoid metal fume fever is to ensure good levels of ventilation i.e. general ventilation or local ventilation, and ensure welder(s) adopt a suitable working position i.e. not working directly above (hunched over) the activity.

Additional information on welding and welding fume is contained within EH54 Assessment of exposure to fume from welding and allied processes, and EH55 The control of exposure to fume from welding, brazing and similar processes. All documents as amended.

To be continued