Welding Fume Monitoring
Welding Fume Monitoring
What is Welding Fume Monitoring?
Welding fume monitoring is the sampling of workplace atmospheres to determine whether welders and workers in the vicinity of welding fume are exposed to significant levels of hazardous chemicals. Air monitoring should take place if you are unsure about the level of welding fume exposure to workers and to test the effectiveness of your current fume control framework.
The employer has the primary responsibility to ensure that welding fume exposure is controlled, and welders are protected. If employers or welders are unsure whether the welding fume exposures at their workplace exceeds the relevant exposure standards, OH&S regulations require that they must ensure welding fume monitoring is carried out.
What is Welding Fume Monitoring?
Welding fume monitoring is the sampling of workplace atmospheres to determine whether welders and workers in the vicinity of welding fume are exposed to significant levels of hazardous chemicals. Air monitoring should take place if you are unsure about the level of welding fume exposure to workers and to test the effectiveness of your current fume control framework.
The employer has the primary responsibility to ensure that welding fume exposure is controlled, and welders are protected. If employers or welders are unsure whether the welding fume exposures at their workplace exceeds the relevant exposure standards, OH&S regulations require that they must ensure welding fume monitoring is carried out.
How much does Welding Fume Monitoring cost?
Fume Monitoring Consultants will use their expertise and judgement to implement an air monitoring strategy tailored to your workplace and processes. Personal monitoring will take place in the breathing zone of welders and other workers in the vicinity to determine if they are exposed to hazardous levels of fumes.
Fume monitoring will normally cost between $2,000-$6,000 AUD depending on the number of workers, the complexity of the job, availability of the welders, and the location of your site. There could be certain situations that will be above $6,000 AUD where a client may be interested in going above and beyond what is required.
Request a Cost Estimate for Welding Fume MonitoringWhat is being measured?
The welding fume concentration in the breathing zone (which is inside a welder’s helmet when a helmet is worn) must not exceed 1 mg/m³ using a TWA (Time Weighted Average). This means that the maximum average airborne concentration of total welding fume when calculated over an 8-hour working day, over a five-day working week, must not exceed 1 milligram of substance per cubic metre of air.
In addition to this general exposure standard for Welding Fume, there are then specific exposure standards for other chemicals that can be released into the air during the welding process. Some of the more common metal fumes that welders may be exposed to, such as Beryllium, Cadmium, and Chromium, have specific workplace exposure standards far lower than that of general welding fume. Hardening agents found in coatings, welding rods, alloys, filler materials, and plated materials can include very dangerous chemicals that have extremely low exposure limits and can lead to very serious health effects.
Results from welding fume monitoring can indicate how effective your current control measures are and whether any changes are required.
New AeroGuard Air Monitor - Measure Welding Fume in your Workshop
The AeroGuard Air Monitor can measure the welding fume level in your workplace in real-time.
Understand the quality of your workshop air in relation to the NEW Workplace Exposure Standard for Welding Fume (1mg/m³).
Understand the quality of your workshop air in relation to the NEW Workplace Exposure Standard for Welding Fume (1mg/m³).
The AeroGuard is equipped with a diverse array of sensors, monitoring for a variety of pollutants and climate factors that impact your comfort and wellbeing.
Particulate Matter(e.g. Welding Fume)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Temperature
Humidity
Sound
Atmospheric Pressure
Indoor Air Quality(IAQ) Index
