Welding galvanized

[Frack N Cylons]

I did a stop work today in a very tight mechanical yard when I noticed some welders working on welding hand rails to a galvanized walkway. The fumes were fairly heavy and concentrated.

Aren't the fumes from welding galvanized steel exceptionally hazardous?

I know little about welding.

 

[Scsmith42]

Yes, those fumes are very poisonous. You have to grind all of the galvanized coating off before welding in order to minimize the toxicity.

 

[Button Pusher]

Welding Hazards of Galvanized Steel-April 2012 - OccuSafe Industrial Hygiene Consulting

OCCUSAFE UPDATE Monthly Round Up of Important Ideas and Standards in Industrial Hygiene and Safety April 2012 IN THIS ISSUE: Welding Hazards of Galvanized Steel Welding on galvanized steel can present increased health risk compared to welding on regular steel. Galvanized metal has a protective...

occusafeinc.com

 

[Les White]

Grinding it off without a respirator isn't good either. I've been using HCI to dissolve it off. Leaves a nicer surface and is quicker.

 

[RR]

Yeah zinc oxide fumes are no bueno.

 

[Beef15]

It's not good obviously, it's far from instant death or disability. Possible they had a respirator under their hood?

 

[Pogue]

If they didn’t fall over in short order, they probably knew what they were doing…

 

[Frack N Cylons]

Yea ok, I’m glad I got myself and my guys out of there then. There was no grinding or removal of the galvanization, just straight stick welding it. No hood, really nothing but gloves and face shields.

For us, there was no problem in waiting until they were done to get back to work.

They might have known what they were doing, but tons of people get severely injured or killed every year that “knew what they were doing.” I’m not trying to be snarky, it’s just my take on it.

Edit - @Beef15 I think I understand what you mean now having a respirator under the hood (mask to this laymen). No, they did not. They had cigarettes under their hoods most of the time.

 

[NCFubar]

To some it’s only a safety hazard if you get caught … but just like wearing hearing and eye protection when shooting … do it long enough it will come back and bite you in the ass one day.

 

[LeeMajors]

Yea ok, I’m glad I got myself and my guys out of there then. There was no grinding or removal of the galvanization, just straight stick welding it. No hood, really nothing but gloves and face shields.

For us, there was no problem in waiting until they were done to get back to work.

They might have known what they were doing, but tons of people get severely injured or killed every year that “knew what they were doing.” I’m not trying to be snarky, it’s just my take on it.

Edit - @Beef15 I think I understand what you mean now having a respirator under the hood (mask to this laymen). No, they did not. They had cigarettes under their hoods most of the time.

Oh they were OK then. The carbon monoxide was negating the fumes 🙄