The Importance of Implementing a Layered Approach to Fume Mitigation
When it comes to fume mitigation, a multifaceted approach maximizes safety for optimal weld environments. The post The Importance of Implementing a Layered Approach to Fume Mitigation appeared first on Fabricating & Metalworking.
The benefits of fume mitigation are relatively straightforward because everyone wants to minimize visible fumes and particulates in the workspace. But more specifically, the benefits of weld environment efforts are two-pronged: First, it protects the operator who’s creating the fume and is directly impacted by its presence. Second, it’s about mitigating the amount of fumes across a facility. Depending on the scale of the welding operation, larger amounts of fume can be generated that spread across a facility and even affect spaces beyond the active welding areas.
A layered approach is best for achieving maximum safety and protection for both individual welders and the facility as a whole. Using the OSHA Hierarchy of Controls as a guide, seemingly small operational tweaks can positively impact the amount of fumes on a large scale, creating a safe, comfortable environment for all.
Process Modifications and/or Substitutions
Safety can’t be overstated, and the best place to start is OSHA’s hierarchy. This five-tier inverted pyramid is used to classify safety measures in order of effectiveness to help facility managers implement the most effective ways to mitigate workplace hazards.
The most effective level in the hierarchy of controls results in the removal of a particular contaminant from the welding setup or substitutes it with an alternative that does not produce substantial hazards. Of course, it may not be possible to remove some of the variables that contribute to fume creation, like a specific filler metal that is required for the work piece. Certain applications may require a specific type of filler metal, and there isn’t a substitute that would adequately match the chemistry requirements of wire and base metal needed to produce a strong, quality weld. In those instances, finding a different way to produce a strong weld is required.
Depending on parameters, shifting to GMAW-pulse welding can significantly decrease fume emissions compared to conventional spray transfer. This is because the control of the heat input in the weld puddle stabilizes the arc, which then reduces fumes. If there is flexibility in the allowable process or materials used, these can limit the amount of fumes before more large-scale reduction efforts are required.
Work Practice and Engineering Controls
Finding and incorporating ways to change how people work is the next way to control fume. Training equipment can help welders fine-tune their technique and hone their ability to set accurate parameters — benefits that present themselves in cleaner welds that generate less fumes. Or a specific work area can become a dedicated space where more fume-intensive welding occurs. While it isn’t a complete solution, it helps confine the fume.
If those options aren’t impactful enough, this is also where introducing a fume extraction MIG gun can play a helpful role, aligning with modifying engineering controls. A fume extraction gun captures fumes and particulate right at the source, and it’s especially beneficial when welding in confined spaces where fumes tend to accumulate and on large weldments where fume generation is substantial.
To make fume extraction guns more accessible and user-friendly to a larger body of welders, manufacturers are now designing them to more closely resemble a traditional air-cooled MIG gun. One such model is the Clean Air E, which offers the ergonomics operators have come to rely on with a traditional MIG gun and provides improved weld joint access and visibility so as not to sacrifice quality. That ergonomic advantage means operators are more comfortable and don’t have to alter their stance or positioning to accommodate working with a fume extraction gun — a common requirement when using previous models. Operators who prefer a certain handle or neck style can customize the gun to further resemble the user experience of a traditional MIG gun while continuing to meet the need of the work piece.
Additionally, when fume extraction guns are being manufactured to use the same consumables as traditional MIG guns, this further extends their ease of use while also providing a savings opportunity in terms of the overall reduction in consumable and parts inventory.
In the immediacy of laying a weld, a fume extraction gun captures the particulate that’s generated but can’t capture all the fume at the source. Secondary systems are needed to do so. Having these types of engineering controls in place provides a more impactful level of fume mitigation effectiveness, among them high-vacuum, mobile, stationary and centralized systems. Additionally, the new source capture methods offer an even larger capture area, keeping environments cleaner and improving productivity through fewer instances of repositioning the fume arm so welders can maintain their focus on welding.
Ultimately, secondary systems allow a facility to be coordinated in a safer and more effective manner. If the levels of fumes created can be nearly eliminated, areas that are close to welding don’t have to worry about excessive fume or particulate accumulation in a given workspace.
Personal Protective Equipment
The final way to optimize safety for operators is to implement the use of high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE). Common respirator PPE includes half masks, powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) and supplied air respirators (SARs). These options protect the individual from inhaling fumes but don’t capture and eliminate fume that is generated. PPE’s limited effectiveness is due to the fact that only the PPE wearer is protected, making it necessary to implement other fume mitigation efforts from previous levels of the hierarchy. Across the bigger safety picture, PPE shouldn’t be considered the only option, but a piece of the greater fume mitigation puzzle.
Layered Efforts Mean Peak Workplace Safety
To keep operators and facilities at large as safe as possible, fume mitigation efforts are a must. More than that, though, is the need to approach fume elimination in a multifaceted way to achieve maximum safety and meet the standards set forth by OSHA. Implementing fume capture and elimination measures from each level in the pyramid provides the layered protection needed for peak efficiency — and most importantly, a safe and optimal work environment for all.
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