Stainless Steel Safety

[lees02ws6]

I have done a bit of stainless mig welding (mostly just tacking up, and way less then 8 hours total) in my attached garage. Any cutting has been done with a bandsaw, though the parts were also cleaned up with wire wheels and used flap discs.

Aside from opening the garage door and wearing a 3m 2097 respirator for lung protection, should I be concerned with clothing getting contaminated?

[xryan]

No

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[rexcormack]

Contaminated with what?

Stainless welding is the cleanest welding you will ever do!

[Bonzoo]

I's be VERY concerned with the clothes being contaminated. By that boleshiit your ol lady gets for soap and fabric softener.
A lil 304/308/316 dust....might make your ballz itch if it doesnt come out in the spin cycle.
Good choice of a respirator. The wheel is far worse than the steel

[shovelon]

I's be VERY concerned with the clothes being contaminated. By that boleshiit your ol lady gets for soap and fabric softener.
A lil 304/308/316 dust....might make your ballz itch if it doesnt come out in the spin cycle.
Good choice of a respirator. The wheel is far worse than the steel

Leave your balls it of it. Most probly its that wacky tobacky.

[Munkul]

I should hope not... most people don't even bother with a respirator while cutting and TIG welding S/S.

MIG and stick welding S/S is a different ballgame - according to HSE guidelines it puts out a much larger amount of hexavalent chromium than TIG. Should definitely wear a respirator with that. Nasty lung cancer particles.

Having said that, I've done my share of stick welding stainless and didn't even realise there was an issue until recently.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr770.pdf quite a decent bit of unbiased research

[lotechman]

A buddy who was on a large stainless job said that with all the workplace rules it was easier to assume the worst and put everyone on respirators with clean breathing air supply. That was easier than having environmental consultants run up huge charges determining where the stainless dust and fume was a danger. Once you get used to the apparatus you adapt. Some rigs allow you to regulate the temp of the air from warm to cool according to the temp you are working in.

[BD1]

All that gets contaminated is the wire and disc. Never use a wheel for carbon and then use it for stainless.

[JohnAldridge]

Thanks for the tips! I will check everything here.

[Fast Leroy]

You should be concerned...

https://www.plymovent.com/us/blogs/w...tainless-steel

Welding stainless steel produces hexavalent chromium

Welding of stainless steel is a common process, which has increasing raised concerns for the working environment. Chromium is next to nickel one of the basic alloy element of all groups of stainless steels. During the welding process, chromium is converted to its hexavalent state, Chromium (VI).

The production of these elements occurring in stainless steel welding fume is believed to have serious effects on the health of welders and people in the welding environment. Cr(VI) fume is highly toxic and can damage the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs and is carcinogenic.

Methods and fume production
Manual Metal Arc welding (MMA welding) produces a lot of potentially hazardous welding fumes.The amounts of fumes released during the welding of stainless steel depend largely on the welding method used. The most common methods are:

Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG)
Metal Inert Gas / Metal Active Gas (MIG/MAG)
About 80% of welding operations use this method:

Manual Metal Arc (MMA)
and 5% specialist companies uses for specific applications:

Flux Cored Arc (FCA)
TIG produces the least fume although it does produce significant amounts of ozone and nitrous oxide both of which are irritant gases. MIG and MAG generally produce quite a lot more fume. MMA welding and FCA tend to produce the most fumes.



About 60% of companies take no preventative measures
Surveys in Great Britain and the USA indicate that one third of welding companies protect their welders against fumes from welding stainless steel with proper and professional ventilation systems. This means that more than 60% of the companies should address this issue and carry out risk assessments with a specialist in ventilation systems and personal protection equipment to improve the working conditions of welders and protect their health.



Be aware of the risks
“As a welder you should also be aware of the risks of welding stainless steel”, warns the American specialist Vicki Bell in several publications. “Before beginning a welding job, it is important to identify the hazards for the particular welding operation. The hazards will depend on the type of welding, the materials (base metals, surface coatings, electrodes) to be welded and the environmental conditions (outside or in a confined space).”

Advice
She is also very clear in her advice. “Ask for a material safety data sheet (MSDS) to identify the hazardous materials used in welding products and the fumes that may be generated.A mobile filter unit of Plymovent combined with an extraction arm provides effective welding fume extraction. Make sure you know what you are welding before you start. Some fumes, such as those released from welding on a cadmium-plated surface, can be fatal in a short time. After identifying the hazard, implement appropriate control methods.”



Adequate ventilation needed
“Use adequate ventilation. Local exhaust ventilation, which removes fumes and gases at the source, is the most effective method. Use a partial enclosure, such as a ventilated workbench, or extraction arm positioned as close to the point of welding as possible. Clean and maintain ventilation systems regularly."

[John T]

Leave your balls out it of it. Most probly its that wacky tobacky.

In Bonzoo's defense,
He doesn't like to wear underpants.

could be jungle rot.

[WNY_TomB]

thorium in tungsten when grounding sharp point. its radioactive
.
vanadium in some steel is nasty too. old 6010 used to have asbestos in the flux
.
if worried about family contamination then dont weld at home. i have met 2 welders that got brain cancer. not sure if job related

[shasti]

Thanks for sharing an useful post

[John T]

Thanks for sharing an useful post

you are welcome.