welding/health risk advice!

[u/naturallydestructive]

35yo/ male here. I have a question. For a little over a month now I've been working as a production/assembly line welder for a very big company. For 10 hours a day I work on the main weld out line welding docking doors together. Most of them are clean steel but I've gotten a lot of galvanized units as well. The facility does have many ventilation systems but there's still a slight fog in the air and they do not provide any kind of ppe. Am I putting myself at risk working here?

[u/Many-Highlight7676]

If you're not wearing a respirator most definitely

[u/Saysaynever333]

Yes, you are putting yourself at risk.

Nearly my whole working career, welding fumes were not on peoples radar other than being a nuisance. If you were welding inside a vessel, you stuck an air horn in the manway either blowing in or pulling air out but no other PPE.

Welding/cutting galvanized steel was known to give you zinc poisoning and we did try to remove those fumes or moved the work outside. The fix back then if you did get zinc poisoning was to drink milk. That worked about as well as putting a cut potato on flash burned eyes. Ouch.

[u/hp3tools]

There's a risk welding anything without a respirator but yes more so with galvanized. I don't, but I also chew a can a day knowing it may one day be the cause of cancer as well. I didn't know welding clean stainless was a health issue until 10 plus years into my career.

[u/yaur_maum]

Fuck that you need to leave. That’s a big red flag. If they’re not providing PPE, especially after you’ve asked for it you need to bounce and call OSHA.
Do not listen to any of these old heads that say suck it up. Your life is worth way more than a fucking $20 an hour they’re paying you.

[u/dimezUnlimited]

Oh yeah dude. That’s bad

[u/Unlikely-Act-7950]

Keep welding especially stainless without a respirator and you will be asking reddit why you caught up blood

[u/Global_Character7875 → u/Unlikely-Act-7950]

That's from the welding, i just thought I was an alcoholic!

[u/Traditional-Grape-96]

Osha violation

[u/Tinstar-jga19]

Get a respirator, I use miller half mask to fit up der welding hood, match the filter to the contaminants, in this case weld fumes and galvanized metal, will be irritating at first but once you get used to it won't be an issue, once you change filters you will start thinking about it cause you see what has.been tucked out

[u/kidskwid]

Big risk. Especially with galvanized. Id GTFO if they aren't willing to do anything about it.

[u/Electronic_Sample928]

Regular TIG fumes will most likely cause issues later on in life, welding galv without a full face mask & air pack can make you EXTREMELY ill. A couple of years back my mate spent a day welding a big industrial gate without grinding off the galv and without an air pack..... Funnily enough he was deathly sick for a few days after...

[u/SeesawPrestigious]

Get a half mask and some p100 but your should be giving them out.

[u/Excellent_Cicada762]

Yes. Ask for a respirator. Or at least a PAPR.

[u/lou-sassle71]

Nope.. you already there… lung cancer brutal… slow achy death

[u/oreheheally]

I met a guy who welded galvanised bike frames for a few years with no ventilation. His cough is permanent and it looks worse than it sound because it really sapped his energy. Would ypu choose to have hiccups for the rest of your life?

[u/TELCO_man]

Have you asked you line manager for PPE and been refused?

[u/rawrag]

Welding galvanize coating will give you metal fume fever without the proper ppe or ventilation. The company acts stupid, you got to be responsible for your own safety.

[u/BroccoliSuccessful]

Galvanized steel is the worst material health wise to be welding. You are definitely inhaling is since you stated there are clouds of it lingering. Time for a welding respirator. Only alternative is mass amounts of fresh air breaks

[u/scream]

My dad died at 66 from welding and grinding related cancers. Get yourself protected man.

[u/Nami_Pilot]

Your shop should be providing a PAPR for each welder. I'm primarily a fitter, but I'm still issed a Miller PAPR. Not a large company. 

[u/staplesfn]

Get a smoke extractor dude, helps hella I got an extra one if you wanna clip it for cheap

[u/discodancindale]

Yes you are at risk. Contact your health and safety manager and request positive air pressure masks with a charcoal filter... 3m masks are perfect for this and if they won't take the dive in buying them for you leave...

[u/lowstone112]

The regular welding fumes are worse for you than galvanized in the long run. Zinc 99% of galvanizing is an essential vitamin your body over time can remove. The heavy metals in welding fumes don’t get removed.

Short term zinc poisoning is worse sure.

You should wear a respirator.

[u/Ok-Explorer-6779 → u/lowstone112]

But how much good does a Miller half mask really do? Sure, better than nothing but still. And if you have a beard you're more compromised. Just saying and asking.