3 Often-Forgotten Places To Protect On Your Body While Welding
As an avid welder, you may think that you do a pretty good job of keeping your body protected whole you weld. You have a good welder's helmet to protect your eyes and face, you've invested in a good pair of welder's gloves, and you even have a fire-resistant apron. However, as important these pieces of personal protection may be, there are others that you really do need. There are actually some parts of the body that tend to get overlooked when it comes to protection during welding. Take a look at the most forgotten places to protect on your body while welding.
1. Ears
Your ears are going to be pretty much wide open if you are wearing a welder's helmet, but they really should be protected with ear muffs or at least earplugs. A flying spark could easily land inside of your ear, which can cause severe burns and a lot of pain. Further, the noise generated during some welding practices can be rather loud. The ear muffs or plugs will help protect your hearing from these loud noises. If you are doing a big welding job that will take a while, protecting your hearing will become even more important.
2. Feet
When sparks are sent out and molten metal drips, there is only one place for these things to go: toward the ground. When you are in a standing position with your welder in hand, your feet can naturally be positioned just beneath what you are working on. This means they can be right in the path of falling molten metal, sparks, and other debris. While you are welding it is best to make sure you have on good sturdy boots that are flame-resistant and rubber-soled. The rubber soles will help prevent electric shock if something goes wrong with your equipment.
3. Lungs
The fumes and oxides that can be generated while you are elding are not safe to breathe in, and neither are small metal particles that can become airborne. However, many people slip on a welding helmet only that has no real protection for the lungs because the helmet does not protect the mouth or nose. Welding masks, formally called respirators, cover your nose and mouth and filter out those particles, oxides, and fumes that can be dangerous to inhale. It is best to use these face masks any time you are welding, even if the task at hand is a small one.
To learn more about welding supplies, contact your local industrial equipment company.