Stainless Tig welding.

[rjmack]

A couple of years ago the safety folks at work started talking up Hexavalent Chromium exposure while tig welding SS. No one had ever heard of it before. Here is a link that tells a little about the dangers.

also, makes your sperm wonky, causes birth defects. respirator necessary for sure. evidently it takes somewhere around 6 months for things to go back to normal after you quit welding the stuff. and that applies to the fitter as well as the welder.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Well over 10 years ago my company safety folks got concerned over the OSHA reports on this also and we hooked all the stainless welders up to monitors that sucked in air from inside the hoods and deposited the results in a special filter that was then analyzed in a lab. The results were from neglible to none. These were in field conditions and not in enclosed spaces which would concentrate the fumes slightly even with fresh air exchangers. We found nothing that even came close to the threshold limits at that time. Unfortunately I have worked outside the USA all the time since then so I havent been up on the latest requirements. I am sure the safety police have now got everyone in a space suit with breathing air by now.
IS breathing clean air hazardous to your health especially when you are used to all the smog that is around. It may screw up your system doing that.

 

[rjmack]

I am sure the safety police have now got everyone in a space suit with breathing air by now.

i've seen microscopic video of the results, some pretty scary looking swimming going on there.

from the sound of it, you should be okay to just tough it out though.:thumbsup: