In the earliest decades of industrialization, unfortunately, there were limited means to understand the health hazards facing the construction, welding, manufacturing, and other such industries. Naturally, that endangered the health of those closely associated with such activities. Now that we understand the ramifications of such hazards on our health, we know better than to neglect these hazards. The sophisticated means of the modern age also mean that we have better ways to protect ourselves when required. How do you go about protecting yourself? Read on to understand what you’re up against and what you should do to protect yourself.
What Health Hazards do You Risk?
Gases such as carbon monoxide, argon, helium, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and gases arising from solvent vapors pose serious health risks if you’re exposed to them for long periods. Your respiratory system suffers as you find it harder to breathe, you experience a heavy chest, and your throat turns dry. You might suffer from the condition that is infamous amongst structural steel fabricators – metal fume fever. The long-term ramifications of prolonged exposure include lung cancer, and the ghastly condition of siderosis, which comes from the continual deposition of iron particles in the lung.
Here’s how You Protect Yourself
Governmental regulations have gone a long way in making life easy for structural steel fabricators by restricting their exposure to hazardous fumes. There is more that can be done to ensure protection against structural steel fabrication fumes when involved in steel production projects. Here’s a list of measures highly recommended to curb exposure:
Removal of Coating
Using an angle grinder or flap wheel is the most straightforward means to remove the layer of the coating from the steel. Removing the coating from the steel before proceeding to fabricate it reduces the toxicity of the vapors that arise from welding activities.
Strategically Using Wind
While conducting welding activities outdoors, strategically positioning yourself against the course of the wind makes a difference in fumes eventually inhaled. The wind carries the fumes in the direction opposite to the direction through which you inhale the air, thereby reducing the chances of toxic inhalation.
Using Quality Exhaust Systems
Natural ventilation isn’t effective in most indoor locations. However, installing a quality exhaust ventilation system should be mandatory while working indoors. For increased effectiveness of the exhaust system, placing the extractor guns and vacuum nozzles as close as possible to the plume source is imperative. You can also use one of those flexible exhaust systems to ensure the harmful fumes are successfully pushed away.
Respiratory Masks
No list of protection against harmful fumes is ever complete without the mention of respiratory masks. All modern structural steel fabrication facilities must seek to employ respiratory masks if they haven’t already done so.
When skeptical, it’s best to conduct business with those companies known for their community involvement. Don’t refrain from contacting us for any queries about the methodology of our structural steel production.
