What are Welding Fumes?

Welding fumes are a complex mixture of metals, the materials with which the metals were manufactured. The heat that a gas welding torch puts out ranges between 5,000- and 10,000-degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature of a laser torch can reach over 20,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The reality is that these temperatures will effectively incinerate all materials that they come across. And fumes are formed when a metal is heated above its working temperature and the byproduct is gaseous as well as particulates.

Welding fumes are always going to have an unknown factor about them and any unknown being consumed by workers or consumers is not a good thing. Welding fumes are produced when metals are heated above their melting point. Exposure to various smoke and fumes will happen during welding and some examples are nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and ozone. Exposure to welding gasses and particulates will cause serious health effects.

The composition of welding fumes is contingent on the welding process and the welding temperatures. This will cause the metal and/or the product being welded to exude a variety of gasses and vapors. Most consumer products have surface coatings like primers, or resins and may be treated with oils, lubricants and degreasing agents. These will also release particles and gasses and this is why the case for safety when people are exposed to these fumes is of the utmost importance.

Semi-Rigid and Self Supporting

Self-supporting welding hoses are a good choice when the flex ducts need to be flexed and to stay flexed for a period of time. Semi-rigid ducts are useful when the source of the plume may change and the welding fume extractor hose placement should be changed. Since the self-supporting ducts are made to stay put when flexed, they need to have ample wall thickness and be sturdier than other flexible ducts’ counterparts. This makes for a far more durable series of ducts, far less prone to damage, tearing or ripping.

Aluminum Flex 400 — Temp Range up to 400°F, Stocked product in five-foot lengths, 10 feet as a custom order, sizes 2 to 12-inch inside diameter
Aluminum Flex 280 – Compressible — Temp Range up to 280°F, Stocked product, ships in a 32-inch length and extends to 118-inches
SS-Flex 800 — Temp Range up to 800°F, Stocked product in five-foot lengths, 10 feet as a custom order, sizes 2 to 12-inch inside diameter
SSti-Flex 1650 — Temp Range up to 1650°F, 15 and 25 ft. lengths, sizes 3 to 12-inch inside diameter, Titanium stabilized 316 stainless alloy
PVC Flex Self Supporting — Temp Range up to 150°F, 10 and 25 ft lengths, diameter is adjustable by hand and can be reduced or expanded, May be shaped and reshaped

Can the Composition of Welding Fumes Vary?

Yes, the composition of welding fumes and materials released is completely dependent on the product being welded. It is partly determined by the metals in the material being welded, the temperature used, the glazing, oils, and other substances with which the welding materials had been treated. The use of plastic coatings, lead primer paints, solvents, chromates and zinc on metals that are being welded will add an additional layer of possible toxicity to the welding fumes generated. The composition of welding fumes is really as endless as the number of new products that are produced yearly. New materials and new production processes will continually combine to bring about new consumer products. In a scenario like this there is no effective way to discern all of the possibilities of gasses and particles that are released during welding.

What are Health Effects of Breathing Welding Fumes?

To put it simply the health outcomes are not good, especially considering the number of unknowns that are produced during the welding processes. Exposure to welding vapors and gasses can result in eye and nose irritations and may cause light-headedness and vomiting. This is the very least of it. Welders or those around welding equipment who experience symptoms should exit the affected spaces and seek medical help. Gasses like helium, argon, and carbon dioxide supplant oxygen during welding. The lack of oxygen in a confined space will lead to asphyxiation. Carbon monoxide gas can also form during welding which is another cause of suffocation. Having ventilation to remove gasses and particles is of the utmost importance, a matter of life and death!

The World Health Organization (WHO) have noted an increased risk of lung cancer for welders and those around welding spaces. Some of these cancers have no minimum threshold during exposure. Meaning that carcinogenic materials produced during welding can cause malignant tumors in the body even when the exposure is at a minimum. Cancer risk depends on several factors such as genetic predisposition or environmental exposures other than welding fumes. Here are some gasses and particulates that are cancerous and released during welding and how they affect the human body:

• • Chromium: Irritation and chemical burns to the eyes and nasal passages
  • Lead oxide: Chronic kidney disease with neurological complications
  • Nickel oxide: Nickels are used in stainless steel and alloy steel production. Increased occurrences of lung and sinus cancers
  • Beryllium oxide: Metal fume fever and an increased risk of lung cancer has been observed in workers exposed to beryllium

Spiral-Lock Welding Exhaust

This series of flexible ducting is a wide range of materials that coat a polyester fabric hose construction mechanically crimped in a continuous process. The fabric is locked around a coated steel wire by a metal strip formed into a clip and this metal strip acts as a wearstrip on the exterior of the hose. This feature makes for an outstanding resistance to external abrasion and keeps the hose extremely flexible and compressible.

Spiral-Lock (Alum FG) 1050 -Temp Range up to 1050°F, Excellent flexibility and compressibility
Spiral-Lock (Aramid) 570 -Temp Range up to 570°F, Excellent flexibility and compressibility
Spiral-Lock (Fiberglass) 1200 -Temp Range up to 1200°F, Excellent flexibility and compressibility
Spiral-Lock (Hypalon) 275 -Temp Range up to 275°F, Excellent flexibility and compressibility
Spiral-Lock (Neoprene) 300 -Temp Range up to 300°F, Excellent flexibility and compressibility
Spiral-Lock (Silicone 1P) 550 -Temp Range up to 550°F, Excellent flexibility and compressibility
Spiral-Lock (Silicone 2P) 750 -Temp Range up to 750°F, Excellent flexibility and compressibility

How to Prevent Exposure to Welding Fumes?

1. Consider a less toxic process or materials
2. Do not weld materials still wet with a degreasing solvent.
3. Safely remove coatings before welding.
4. Have adequate ventilation in the welding space. This will prevent the removal of oxygen and to prevent the buildup of dangerous welding byproducts.
5. Use local exhaust ventilation systems positioned close to the plumage source to eliminate vapors and particles from the workers inhalation area.
6. Wear appropriate respiratory protective equipment.

More often than not, considering a less toxic material is not an option and the removal of degreasing solvents may not be 100% done. Removal of coatings, more often than not, is not always possible. Exposure to welding fumes through the use of new materials is not always an option. The one predictable and effective way to continually prevent exposure to fumes is thorough quality ventilation equipment and wearing high quality respiratory and eye protection equipment. Having effective welding ducts that remove gasses and vapors at the source of the plume and using high quality HVAC systems that continually clean enclosed space air with high velocity fans is one way to stay risk averse. Ductwork systems should be planned to have airflow that will effectively remove contaminated air at a rate quicker than gasses and fumes are produced. The amount of air that flows through a duct depends on the CFM produced by the fans in your HVAC system and the inside diameter of the flex ducts. Air moving too slowly will permit impurities to accumulate in the space.

Considerations in Choosing the Proper Welding Exhaust Duct

Welding is an incredibly important process in the United States and throughout the world that is crucial to the formation and construction of appliances, cars, boats, and much else. However, equally important, is operating under proper welding exhaust. The process of welding produces hazardous chemicals such as manganese and hexavalent chromium. These chemicals produced by welding exhaust fumes are known to cause severe instances of brain damage and lung cancer. Because of these detrimental effects, it is essential to have a weld fume ventilation system installed to protect the health and safety of welders and those who are working in welding environments. At Ducting.com, we offer a large selection of welding duct products that are designed to withstand the harsh chemicals and temperature requirements that are associated with welding applications. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; taking the time to identify and implement your ideal kind of welding exhaust ducts can be your welding system’s “ounce of prevention.”

One of the most important considerations to keep in mind when selecting your choice of welding duct is heat. Welding is a high temperature application and because of this weld fume ventilation requires hoses that are resistant to the high temperature fumes given off by the welding process. Our welding duct products offer a wide range of high temperature resistance with flexible duct hose that can withstand maximums of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and all the way up to 1,650 degrees Fahrenheit with many more options available in between. This wide range of heat resistant welding hoses allows you to select the proper hose for your application’s temperature and budget demands.

Another important factor to take into account when welding are the dangers of sparks that can be created in the welding process. After all, it goes without saying just how dangerous unintended fires can be to not only welding exhaust systems, but ducting systems of all types. Sparks are an extreme fire hazard, and it is important that your weld fume ventilation system is designed with the dangers of sparks in mind if your welding application frequently produces them. To protect your ducting from the dangers of sparks, several of our welding exhaust products are constructed with materials that are listed as UL 94 V-0 flame retardant. This means that these welding hoses are resistant to catching fire when any of the stray sparks produced by welding touch the surface of the hose.

Flame-Retardant & Self-Extinguishing Ducts

If your firm or machinery requires a flame rated duct, there are two here that will help add safety to your workspace. These hoses are rated for fire-safety and add a safety element that is irreplaceable when and if needed.

Acrylic Flex 325 — Listed as a UL 94 V-0 flame retardant, Temp Range up to 325°F, sizes 1.5 to 16-inch Diameter,
Urethane Flex Self Extinguishing — Temp Range up to 225°F, sizes 2 to 24-inch Diameter, Great abrasion resistance & high tear strength, this flexible duct is made to self-extinguish when lit on fire!

Welding Fume Extraction Ducting Options

We offer PVC and stainless hoses that are perfect for heavy-duty welding applications that will produce large amounts of high temperature fumes. Not only are our welding exhaust hose products one of our more durable flexible duct hoses, they also feature a self-supporting system. In being so largely self-supporting, welding flexible duct hose can be manipulated and formed pursuant to the needs of each individual application. Semi-rigid round duct is additionally prized because it keeps its shape when presented with outside forces and pressures. This allows you to place the exhaust hose conveniently to the source of the exhaust fumes with the flexible duct hose body remaining in place on its own. These are self-supporting, semi rigid flex hoses that are available in a wide range of ID sizes.

As noted, stainless steel is an incredibly popular material commonly used in the construction of welding exhaust hoses. The combination of rigidity, maneuverability, and resilience makes stainless steel welding ducts a consummate example of superior welding exhaust hoses. The excellent temperature and corrosion resistances of stainless steel are nothing to sneeze at either! Stainless steel ducts (as well as the vast majority of our flexible ductwork) typically come with plain cut ends that facilitate ease of connection between separate flex hoses and ventilation outlets.