When it comes to welding, safety is of the utmost importance, which is why it’s essential that you use personal protective equipment, or PPE, to help protect yourself from injury. While welding can be a dangerous job and accidents are inevitable, properly using your PPE can greatly reduce your risk of being injured while on the job.
Below, we’ve broken down some of the key welding PPE items you should be using and how they can help keep you safe.
Helmets
One of the most important pieces of PPE that you should always use while welding is a welding helmet that has eye protection. Using a proper helmet while on the job will help protect both your face and eyes from a number of different things, such as:
- Hot Slag
- Sparks
- Blinding light
- Debris
- Radiation
All of these things are dangerous, so it’s important to keep yourself protected. Investing in a welding helmet that provides eye protection Is a great way to ensure that you’ll be well protected from the neck up.
Gloves
While gloves can be bulky and seem cumbersome while working with your hands, it’s incredibly important to always wear gloves while welding. It can only take a split second to be hit with flying sparks or burn yourself with hot slag, so investing in a quality pair of welding gloves is a great way to protect yourself.
When looking for a pair of gloves, you should make sure they are both insulated and heat resistant, cover your hands and wrists completely and are easy and comfortable to move around in. They should also be able to fit either over or under the cuffs of your jacket so you don’t have any exposed skin visible.
Work Boots
Anytime you work in any type of workshop, you run the risk of dropping things on your feet, which is why it’s a good idea to invest in a good pair of welding work boots. Not only will they help protect your feet if you step on or drop something, but welding boots will also be able to withstand electrical currents while also handling the heat and impact of working in a welding workshop.
Welding boots should meet the following requirements:
- Rubber soles
- Steel plate above the sole
- Flame retardant
- Slip-resistant
- Sturdy and cover the ankle
Heat-Resistant Jacket
With constant exposure to heat and sparks while welding, it’s important to protect yourself and your clothes from being damaged. Investing in a heat-resistant welding jacket is a great way to add an extra layer of protection while you work.
You want to make sure that the jacket won’t be at risk of catching fire, so opt for leather or something flame-retardant for the best protection. You’ll want to ensure that the jacket will fit both your arm length as well as your torso to make sure you don’t leave any skin or clothing exposed.
Regardless of the environment and conditions you’re working in, protecting yourself with the proper welding PPE is essential to keeping yourself safe and injury-free!
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