In this episode, Craig Leech, NSW Sales Manager and Technical Specialist for Australian Welding Supplies (AWS) returns for part two of our welding hazards episode where we dive deeper into the associated risks and the control measures required to keep welders safe.

When we think welding most of us presume that it is simply the process of permanently bonding two pieces of metal together, however, there is more to welding than meets the eye. Technical matters aside, the world of a welder is filled with hazards, the risk of electrocution, fire and explosion, burns, electric shock, vision damage, inhalation of poisonous gases and fumes, and exposure to intense ultraviolet radiation is a real and present danger.

Guest Bio:

In 1982, Craig Leech (pictured left with host Mark Reggers) started as an apprentice welder on the South African railways. He then took the opportunity to come to Australia in the late nineties. His first Australian employer issued him with an auto-darkening welding helmet branded Speedglas. Little did he know he would be selling this brand for the next 20 years.

Craig Leech is NSW Sales Manager and Technical Specialist for AWS, the sole agent for 3M Speedglas Welding Helmets in Australia and New Zealand. Starting out on the tools he has been in the industry for over 30 years and has been working with AWS supporting the Speedglas brand and welders in the field for over 21 years.

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In this episode, Mark & Craig discuss the following:

• What are some more of the key hazards that are associated with the various types of welding?
• What controls should workplaces be considering?
• You have been in the welding industry for a number of years, what have been the biggest changes in that time around welding safety?
• Where can workplaces go to get more information around welding hazards and welding controls?

With the range of hazards welders face daily that can potentially be life-threatening, we need to factor in the hierarchy of control and look at what workplaces should be considering to keep their workers safe - from PPE to environment. With the advances in technology reaching the welding sphere we now have some vital pieces of welding equipment, particularly portable respiratory systems and helmets with liquid crystal lenses that work together to increase the health and safety of the worker, while improving productivity and the quality of the finished goods. Tune in as we continue our discussion on welding hazards and consider the head to toe protection needed by welders, in particular, the respiratory protection required to keep harmful thermally generated particulate that is carcinogenic welding fume, at bay.

Additional Resources:

• Podcast Transcript
• SafeWork Australia – Welding Processes Code of Practice
• WorkSafe New Zealand – Health & Safety in Welding
• SafeWork NSW – Welding Processes
• SafeWork QLD – Welding
• SafeWork SA – Welding Processes
• WorkSafe Victoria – Controlling Welding Hazards
• WorkSafe Tasmania – Welding Processes
• AWS – Hazards of Welding Fume & Welding Fume Whitepaper
• 3M Centre for Respiratory Protection
• Cancer Council Australia – Welding and Cancer
• Welding Technology Institute of Australia

Contact a 3M Safety Specialist at scienceofsafetyanz@mmm.com for more information.