Europe

20th Nov 2011 Agenda

Training on Environmental products @ Kuwait
09.15 hrs 09.30 hrs 09.40 hrs 09.50 hrs Lincolns contribution to green concept What is Industrial/welding fume particles/components in the fume Effects of welding Fume

Fume control systems

SK David/SK David/SK David/SK

10.10 hrs 10.20 hrs

10.30 hrs 10.45 hrs 11.00 hrs

Health hazards due to weld fume International standards/requirements towards the weld fume
Fume Control methods & techniques Fume control/removal solutions from Lincoln Demonstartion on the fume control systems

David/SK David/SK
David/SK David/SK David/SK

David (tech expert) from Lincoln Netherlands/ SK Senthil Kumar from Lincoln Dubai

A study on Welding Fume & Its effects

20th Nov 2011

 Fume is a cloud of small particles suspended in a gas

What is fume ?

Welding and cutting fume is formed when a metal is heated above its boiling point, evaporates and condenses into very fine solid particles

Process conditions

Heat (400C to 12,000C in the arc) Welding fumes

Consumable electrode (electrode coating) Shielding gases Fluxes Base metal Paint or surface coatings

Ultraviolet light leading to photochemical conversions

Influencing factors

Process
Construction
Method

Surfacecondition
pollutants coatings

Harmful substances
gases fumes particles vapours

Processparameter

Consumables
wire cover/filling powder flux

Basic material Additives

metal metal non-metal/metal non-metal

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Particles & components in the fume

Fume control systems

90 % of the fumes originates from the consumables

The fume contains oxides of the welding consumable

and metal being used.

Stick welding processes will produce fluorides metallic silicates fluorides fumes.

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Particles & components in the fume

MIG welding processes will produce Iron oxides oxides from additives like manganese SS welding process will produce Chromium and Nickel oxides iron oxides also

Fume control systems

Metal working fluids ( anti spatter, oils and rust inhibitors) Coatings like zinc coating or lead primers RESULT: a mix of gases and particles

GASES
NON TOXIC TOXIC

PARTICLES
IRRITATING TOXIC

Protective gases
Argon Helium Nitrogen Hydrogen Carbondioxide

Nitrous gases Ozon Carbonmonoxides Hydrogenfluorides Gases caused by heating of surface treatments

Welding fume (total) Ferric-oxides Zinc-oxides Aluminium-oxides Mangenese smoke Fluorides

Chromium VIoxides Calcium-chromates Zinc-chromates Beryllium-oxides Copper-smoke Vanadium-oxides Lead Cobalt-smoke

Gases cannot be filtered: ventilation is the solution

Particles can be filtered: recirculate or controlled extraction to outside

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Particles & components in the fume

Fume control systems

Toxic gases
Nitrous gases Carbon monoxides Hydrogen fluorides

Toxic Particles
Chromium VI oxides Zinc chromates Calcium chromates Copper/cobalt smoke

 Like everything health risk is linked to exposure Threshold Limit Value (TLV) or Maximum Allowable Concentration (MAC)
Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) Ceiling values

Risk is related to exposure

Exposure Time Weight Average (TWA) average concentration over a working period of 8 hour. Expressed in mg/m3 in the breathing zone of the welder General Welding Fume is MAC/TLV of 1-5 mg/m3 based on TWA 8 with no ceiling limit. Limit depending on each countrys legislation. Components can be lower Chromium VI TLV 0,05 mg/m3, manganese Ceiling is 5 mg/m3

 Dose

Limit values at the work station

Depending on the concentration of harmful substances

Determination
MAC value (max. acceptable concentration; limit value)

MAC value
average value over 1 working day or 1 shift

Substance
General Aluminium oxide (Al2O3 ) Lead (Pb) Cadmium (Cd) Chromium (Cr) Chromium IV (Cr(IV)) Ferric oxide (Fe2O3) Carbon dioxide (CO2) Copper (Ca) Nickel (Ni) Ozone (O3)

MAC value mg/m3

3.5 3.5 0,1 0,05 0,5 0,05 3.5 5,000 0,1 0,5 0,2

MAC values

 Respirable fraction 2,5 And related toPM the fume particle size can reach the lungs
< 2,5 micrometer of particle size

What is the particle size of welding fume

DANGER ZONE
welding fume soldering fume oil fume/mist airborne dust virus colour pigment bacteria tobacco smoke carbon black resin fumes coal dust cement dust milled flour pollen hairs

0,01 m

0,1 m

1 m

10 m

100 m (0,1 mm)

visible by electron microscope

visible by microscope

visible by eye

Particle size Danger zone

Particle sizes < 0,1 m are breathed in

Particle sizes between 0,1 and 5 m

remain in the lungs
Particles sizes > 5 m:
filtered by the nose non-aerosol

Size Of the Fume particle

hair dust bacterium

Dimensions

fume particle

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Effects of weld fume Short term Eye, ear, nose throat and chest irritation Metal fever Nausea Pneumonitia (inflammation of lung) - Suffocation

Fume control systems

Long term illness

- Chronic asthma Siderosis Bronchitis Neurologic complications Lung cancer

How much welding fume is produced?

Is mentioned on material safety data sheet Indication of conversion in percentage of weight Stick welding 1,5-3% Mig/Mag welding solid wire 0,3-1% Flux cored wire 3-4 % Tig <0,2%

Submerged welding (powder) <0,3%

What concentration can be expected ?

The concentrations measured in mg/m3 of the various welding processes without using welding fume extraction equipment

TWA level
filled rod/ gas steel Flux cored wire MIG ALU MIG stainless MIG/ MAG steel MMA stainless MMA steel PLASMA stainless TIG stainless

195

AUT. cutting steel

GAUGING steel PLASMA cutting stainless

Source : TNO the Netherlands

10

15

welding fume concentration [ mg/m3 ]

20

25

30

35

40

45

 Basic rules while considering Fume extraction systems :

Filtration and recirculation if welding normal steel Filtration and exhaust if possible, in case of stainless steel Extraction at source if possible Industrial ventilation with personal protection if extraction at source is not possible Background concentration MAC = 1-5 mg/m3 (depending on country)

Tendency to 1 mg/m3 (= health value)

No visible fume layer is max 1,5 mg/m3 !!

The conclusion is that

Nearly each welding process requires protective measurements.

If you dont Have the fume extraction, then you may encounter:
Health Risk to welder and other persons in Area
Higher Welding Cost by lower arc time % (e.g. due to illness) Higher energy cost by more ventilation Effect on machines (more cleaning, maintenance and machine defects) Unfiltered ventilation is bad for environment Image of company (towards employees, customers, unions)

Not having welding fume extraction means:

Advantages in having Fume extraction systems:

Normal Arc Time about 25% Total welding cost: 84% labour, 13% consumable, 3% investment 2% more Arc Time is 6,5% decrease in total welding cost 50% more investment is 1,5% increase in total welding cost Result: decrease of welding cost of 5%

Welding fume extraction a healthy investment

Thus investment in Welding Fume Extraction is a Healthy Investment

Welding fume extraction a healthy investment

Thus investment in
Welding Fume Extraction is a Healthy Investment

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How to measure weld fume

The guideline includes the following steps: 1. 2. 3. Pre-Air sampling inspection Preparation of facility Collection and analysis of samples

Fume control systems

4.

Air Sampling Protocol Recommendations

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International standards
ISO is not specific enough for welding fume.

Fume control systems

ISO 9001 is about a general quality system.

ISO 14001 is about an environmental quality system. Short history of welding fume extraction regulations.

1)
2) 3)

Started in (Northern) Europe in 1970s because of protection of workers and cold climate/energy savings by recirculation
USA followed Europe quickly. Recent years USA has become very strict especialy on component level, Manganese, CrVI. Eastern Europe is adapting quickly to rest of Europe.

4)
5) 6)

Asia, e.g. China, India starting with regulations now, especially big multinational already have systems in place.
Tendency not to only look at the welder but to create a general healthy environment for all people in workshop Over time tendency of MAC/TLV value from 10 mg/m3 to 1

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Fume control methods & techniques

Fume control systems

- Operator

Technique, Welding Consumables, Design,

& Processes - Source extraction

- Personal protection equipments

- Local Extraction using hood - General filtration

- Combination of techniques

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Fume control solutions from Lincoln

Fume control systems

- Good welding techniques - Portable extractors - Mobile extraction

- Push pull system

- Dilutors - Modular Hood Extractors

- Centralized multi arm extractors