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With immediate effect, there is a strengthening of HSE’s enforcement expectation for all welding fume, including mild steel welding; because general ventilation does not achieve the necessary control.

Control of the cancer risk will require suitable engineering controls for all welding activities indoors e.g. Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV). Extraction will also control exposure to manganese, which is present in mild steel welding fume, which can cause neurological effects similar to Parkinson’s disease.

Where LEV alone does not adequately control exposure, it should be supplemented by adequate and suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to protect against the residual fume.

Appropriate RPE should be provided for welding outdoors. You should ensure welders are suitably instructed and trained in the use of these controls.

Regardless of duration, HSE will no longer accept any welding undertaken without any suitable exposure control measures in place, as there is no known level of safe exposure.

Risk assessments should reflect the change in the expected control measures.

Action required are as follows:

• Make sure exposure to any welding fume released is adequately controlled using engineering controls (typically LEV).
• Make sure suitable controls are provided for all welding activities, irrelevant of duration. This includes welding outdoors.
• Where engineering controls alone cannot control exposure, then adequate and suitable RPE should be provided to control risk from any residual fume.
• Make sure all engineering controls are correctly used, suitably maintained and are subject to thorough examination and test where required.
• Make sure any RPE is subject to an RPE programme. An RPE programme encapsulates all the elements of RPE use you need to ensure that your RPE is effective in protecting the wearer.

You can contact us for advice on exposure risk assessments so that you fully understand the levels of welding fumes and gases that are being generated from your welding activities and to validate that your controls are being effective at preventing exposure. Click here to learn more about our welding fume exposure assessment services.