What is Welder’s Lung?

Welder’s lung, sometimes referred to as silver polisher’s lung or siderosis, is a type of lung disease which was caused by inhaling some iron particles, either through fumes or dust. This kind of ailment is in the form of pneumoconiosis, a term utilized to refer to lung diseases due to dust particles inhalation.

Some types of pneumoconiosis may include black lung and silicosis. Black lung is caused by the inhalation of particles from the coal mine, while silicosis is due to the inhalation of silica particles. Sometimes, a welder’s lung is a type of interstitial disease of the lungs, which is the result of inhaling irritants that settle onto the lungs. The irritants that go directly into the lungs may lead to lung scarring and inflammation. Then, this causes the organs to become hardened and stiffened, which results to breathing difficulties.

Since a welder’s lung or siderosis is the result of inhalation of iron particles which are typically produced at a specific workplace, it is then considered an occupational type of disease. Some occupations that increase an individual’s risk of developing this ailment include metal polishing, mining, steelmaking, soldering, welding, steel/iron rolling, and metal sheet working.

If you’re working on any of these occupations or you are oftentimes exposed to fumes or iron dust, then you must be cautious enough so that you will not experience a welder’s lung or the so-called “siderosis.”

The following are the best ways and procedures that you should do to avoid this ailment, especially if you’re always exposed to fumes or iron dust particles:

ü First, wear some protective garments like a face mask while you’re working on your task.

ü Second, make sure that the place where you’re working should be properly ventilated.

ü Finally, visit your physician for a regular check-up so that your doctor may detect if there are some early symptoms of lung disease or damage.

Unlike some other types of lung diseases, welder’s lung rarely causes signs or symptoms. Because of this, it’s sometimes referred to as a benign type of pneumoconiosis. However, the welder’s lung may lead to some other conditions which produce its own symptoms.

Aside from those tips and suggested measures for you to avoid this kind of disease, it is also advisable to use a welding fume extractor. This kind of fume extractor eliminates contaminants and efficiently circulates air to avoid health concerns.

Welding fumes are generally hazardous to the health of an individual once they are inhaled. Even with the small quantity of dust particles that get into your lungs, it can inflict further harm or damage to your body organs. If welded fumes are not properly extracted, these may cause all types of health diseases such as dizziness, nausea, lung cancer, kidney damage, nose/throat/eye irritation, and damages to a person’s nervous system.

Using a Welding Fume Extractor to Avoid Inhalation of Dust Particles

According to the experts, it has approximately 18,000 cases of lung-related concerns occur every year. And this is because of a poor extraction of welded fumes at the workplace. But worry no more because you can make use of the fume extraction equipment in your workplace. This can help you to extract the dust particles and perform your jobs without problems.

If you think that your workplace is quite hazardous because of these fumes or dust particles, be much better to utilize a kind of extractor for welded fumes. By using this equipment, you can have the following benefits and advantages:

• Healthy environment when working — If you’re working in an environment where there is a high risk of fumes like soldering, paint, or chemicals, it is crucial to use fume extraction equipment to eliminate these contaminants.
• Ensure compliance — In some places, rules and regulations are strictly followed. And as far as policies are concerned, the state informed all the businesses to adhere to compliance in terms of health protocols. One of these policies pertaining to health is removing the welded fumes and dust particles from their source. So, when you use a piece of extraction equipment to get rid of these fumes, you tend to comply with the country’s rules and regulations.
• More energetic and active workforce — Fume extractor at workplace contributes to a safe and healthy working setting. One of the things that promote an energetic and well-motivated workforce is by removing welded fumes and giving the employees a clean and well-circulated flow of air indoors. With an efficient extractor, workers will never be prone to any illness while working in the company. Aside from that, they will become more productive, resulting to a good performance level.

So, by using some protective garments plus utilizing extraction equipment for the fumes and dust particles, you can have a guarantee that any type of lung disease such as welder’s lung or siderosis will never be experienced by the workers in your company.