Welding Fume Product Control Selector

Welding fume has been linked to multiple forms of cancer and has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

An employer must ensure that no person at the workplace is exposed to welding fume in an airborne concentration that exceeds the exposure standards. However, exposure standards should not be considered as representing an acceptable level of exposure to workers. Exposure standards simply establish a legal maximum upper limit. Therefore, additionally, employers must also reduce exposure to welding fume to as low as reasonably practicable.

The Welding Fume Product Control Selector has been launched to help workplaces navigate the available product control solutions to reduce welding fume exposure to as low as reasonably practicable.

The results generated in this selector are based on an Australian independent scientific study that was conducted in 2022 to compare the effectiveness of welding fume product controls. The peer reviewed study “Welding fume; a comparison study of industry used control methods” was published in the Safety Journal in 2023.

The White Paper on this study can be downloaded here

Is welding taking place in a “Confined Space”?

If you are unsure, please review Safe Work Australia’s Confined Spaces Code of Practice before proceeding.

Confined Spaces

It is possible that welding is taking place in a ‘Confined Space’ as defined by Safe Work Australia’s Confined Spaces Code of Practice. Confined spaces are a multifactorial issue and protection against welding fume is only one of the issues that needs to be considered. There should be a suitably trained and knowledgeable person doing the assessment and design of a safe system for any confined space entry.

Confined spaces can be deadly and decisions on how to handle a specific confined space must be assessed on the spot and always comes down to the specifics of the individual situation.

For guidance on possible welding fume product controls an AWS representative will need to come and assess the environment in person.

Contact a Welding Fume Product Control Specialist for a site visit.

Is welding taking place in a well ventilated area?

A well ventilated area for the purposes of this selector can be described as an open area or workshop where welding fume does not build up around the welder or other workers.

Are you looking to protect just* the welder or are you also looking to protect other workers in proximity to the welder?

*Please be aware that it is an employer’s legal responsibility to reduce welding fume exposure to as low as reasonably practicable for all workers, not just the welder. You should select ‘just the welder’ for situations where there will never be other people sharing the environment with the welder/s.

Are you looking to protect just* the welder or are you also looking to protect other workers in proximity to the welder?

*Please be aware that it is an employer’s legal responsibility to reduce welding fume exposure to as low as reasonably practicable for all workers, not just the welder. You should select ‘just the welder’ for situations where there will never be other people sharing the environment with the welder/s.

Will the welder remain relatively static (e.g. bench welding) or will they be on the move while welding?

In this situation you have two options:

Option 1:

Welding Helmet with Powered Air Purifying Respirator

A Welding Helmet with a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) is an effective and practical welding fume product control solution based on the information you have provided. However, if you are welding in an extremely heavy fume environment, in an area with limited ventilation (not defined as a confined space as per Safe Work Australia’s Confined Spaces Code of Practice), you may need to replace the filters (particle and pre-filter) constantly, leading to a high filter replacement cost. In this situation, a more economical long-term option could be a Welding Helmet with Supplied Air.

Option 2:

Welding Helmet with Supplied Air

A Welding Helmet with Supplied Air draws air from a compressor via a breathing air filtration system to provide effective control in reducing exposure to welding fume. In heavy fume environments, supplied air can be the more economical long-term option when compared to a welding helmet with powered air respiratory protection. However, it’s important to note that being attached to an airline can impact the welder’s mobility. You will require a compressor to run a supplied air welding helmet.

Will the welder remain relatively static (e.g. bench welding) or will they be on the move while welding?

Will the welder be MMA/Stick Welding?

Will the welder be MMA/Stick Welding?

Will the welder be MMA/Stick Welding?

Will the welder be MMA/Stick Welding?

In this situation you have two options:

Option 1:

Powered Air Welding Helmet with On-Gun Fume Extraction

A Welding Helmet with a Powered Air Purifying Respirator combined with On-Gun Fume Extraction is the most effective and practical welding fume product control solution to protect the welder and stop the spread of fume throughout the work environment based on the information you have provided.

Option 2:

Powered Air Welding Helmet with Hooded Capture LEV

A Welding Helmet with a Powered Air Purifying Respirator combined with Hooded Capture LEV could potentially be a more economical option when compared to On-Gun fume extraction. However, it will potentially not be as effective in removing fume from the environment. On-Gun fume extraction has been found to be 33% more effective in removing welding fume from the environment when compared to Hooded Capture LEV.

In this situation you have two options:

Option 1:

Powered Air Welding Helmet with On-Gun Fume Extraction

A Welding Helmet with a Powered Air Purifying Respirator combined with On-Gun Fume Extraction is the most effective and practical welding fume product control solution to protect the welder and stop the spread of fume throughout the work environment based on the information you have provided.

Option 2:

Powered Air Welding Helmet with Hooded Capture LEV

A Welding Helmet with a Powered Air Purifying Respirator combined with Hooded Capture LEV could potentially be a more economical option when compared to On-Gun fume extraction. However, it will potentially not be as effective in removing fume from the environment. On-Gun fume extraction has been found to be 33% more effective in removing welding fume from the environment when compared to Hooded Capture LEV.

In this situation you have two options:

Option 1:

Welding Helmet with Powered Air Purifying Respirator

A Welding Helmet with a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) is an effective and practical welding fume product control solution based on the information you have provided. However, if you are welding in an extremely heavy fume environment, in an area with limited ventilation (not defined as a confined space as per Safe Work Australia’s Confined Spaces Code of Practice), you may need to replace the filters (particle and pre-filter) constantly, leading to a high filter replacement cost. In this situation, a more economical long-term option could be a Welding Helmet with Supplied Air.

Option 2:

Welding Helmet with Supplied Air

A Welding Helmet with Supplied Air draws air from a compressor via a breathing air filtration system to provide effective control in reducing exposure to welding fume. In heavy fume environments, supplied air can be the more economical long-term option when compared to a welding helmet with powered air respiratory protection. However, it’s important to note that being attached to an airline can impact the welder’s mobility. You will require a compressor to run a supplied air welding helmet.