What You Should Be Looking For When Buying Protective Gear For A Welding Project

There’s no escaping the fact that welding is an inherently dangerous activity. That said, with the right protective gear, the majority of tasks can be carried out in relative safety. Therefore it’s important for any one looking to carry out a welding task to select gear that’s going to provide the right protection. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at what you might need.

Eye and face protection

Of all the body parts exposed to the processes of welding the eyes and face are probably the most fragile. For this reason goggles and/or a quality lightweight face mask with a UV filtered face plate are both vital pieces of kit. Aside from sparks, welding often causes high concentrations of UV light which can burn the cornea and inflame the retina. This is commonly known as ‘flash eye’. Quality goggles/face masks prevent this from happening.

Body protection

As you can imagine welding can also generate intense heat. For this reason body protection is also needed. When purchasing protective clothing it’s important to look at the heat rating. Generally speaking, leather aprons often provide a good balance between adequate protection and weight although flame retardant, tightly woven, wool, or cotton is also a good bet.

When looking for aprons, it’s better to opt for the type that are stitched together with kevlar thread. It provides a strong attachment thus preventing early wear and tear. After all, if you’re going to part with your money, you’d want the product to last. Clothing should always be long-sleeved with button cuffs and collar in order to protect the neck area and wrists and trousers must be able to cover the top of the boot or protective shoe. Boots should ideally be high-topped ones that fully lace up. Fire resistant boot protectors can also be worn if necessary.

Hands

When searching for protective gloves look for gauntlet-style apparel that allows for relatively easy movement when wearing. Leather-style sleeving can also be worn to further protect the wrists and forearms.

If you’re sporting the right protective gear along with proper ventilation, then welding can be both safe and rewarding. If however you have a welding project but simply don’t fancy doing it yourself, why not contact Metro Steel? Based in Brisbane we have the ability to carry out a wide variety of metal and steel work including welding. Why not give us a call on 07 3204 1000 and let us show you exactly what we can do.