Why You Can't Look At Welding

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Why can't we look at welding: did our parents deceive us?

The work of a welder always attracts attention - a characteristic noise is heard, bright flashes of light appear and sparks effectively flying in all directions. It is not surprising that you want to watch this process, but everyone knows from childhood that you cannot look at welding, it is harmful to the eyes. Let's figure out whether this is really so and how a person is threatened by observing welding work without protection.

The danger of welding to sight: delusion or truth

No one will forbid to look at the work of welding, but without special protection for the eyes, this can turn into sad consequences. To understand the source of harm, it is necessary to understand what exactly causes it.

During the operation of the welding machine, an arc is formed - a continuous electric discharge that is formed between the electrode and the area of the weld. Under the influence of high temperature, a drop of molten metal appears, which is transferred to the surface of the product and provides bonding. The source of harm in this process is the welding arc itself, because it causes not only evaporation of the metal and spraying of its smallest particles, but also strong radiation (ultraviolet, infrared and visible).

During welding operation, sparks, fumes and radiation are generated

Everyone knows that during the work of the welder, not only sparks fly away, but also bright flashes of light are formed with a blinding effect. After it, the effect of sunbeams remains - there are light dots in front of the eyes for some time. But this is only 15% of the radiation that the arc gives. The remaining 85% are accounted for by:

• Ultraviolet radiation (70%). Medium and short wavelength radiation is harmful to skin and eyes. Such ultraviolet light is capable of penetrating deep into tissues, causing temporary visual impairment, sharp pain (with a feeling of "sand"), photophobia, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye, burns of the skin.
• Infrared radiation (15%). It is not so dangerous compared to ultraviolet light, but it carries heat energy and can cause burns to the skin and cornea of the eye, followed by inflammation (photokeratitis).

Watching welding without a special protective mask and glasses is very harmful, and this is not a myth at all. But this does not mean that, having seen the welding work, you need to close your eyes and run away - it all depends on the time of contemplation and the distance to the arc. So, if a person is at a distance of more than 15 meters and looks at the flashes for a short time, then the radiation will simply scatter, not having time to reach the eye, and, accordingly, will not be able to harm. And if you are 1 meter from the arc, then the destructive effect of hazardous radiation is inevitable, especially if a person looks at welding for more than 30 seconds.

A special mask is required for welding.

There are some more common beliefs about the dangers of welding:

• Observing welding work can lead to blindness. This is true, but the addiction is mediated. By itself, radiation does not blind, it only destructively affects the elements of the eye system, which leads to the appearance of diseases (inflammation, photophobia, radiation cataract, damage to the lens and retina). Lack of timely treatment of the problems that have arisen may well cause complete and irreversible blindness. One episode of short observation of welding is likely to cause only temporary problems.
• It is dangerous to look at the welding only if it is in front of your eyes. This is a myth, since the negative effect of radiation will affect a person even if the arc is from the side, and even if the observation occurs through a reflective surface (the rays will simply bounce off it and still fall into the eyes).

• Welding is dangerous for eyes not only by radiation, but also by sparks. This is true, because during the operation of the arc, particles of molten metal and sparks fly away, having a high temperature. If they get into the eye, then a burn will inevitably occur, accompanied by sharp pain, a sensation of a foreign body in the eye, cuts, redness and lacrimation.

  

  During welding, a particle of molten metal may enter the eye

Looking at welding without special eye protection is really dangerous. Depending on the time of observation and the distance to the arc, you can get both temporary "spots" in front of the eyes, and serious burns and damage to the eye system.