12.09.2023
International
Safe welding: Initiative launched to reduce Welding Fumes
Services associated with the programme to reduce welding fumes from the German Employer's Liability Insurance Association for Wood and Metal (BGHM) and its cooperation partners Mainz,Germany (BGHM).
The vast majority of welding procedures produce fumes, which pose a health risk. It is critical for companies with welding workplaces to reduce their employees exposure to welding fumes and to comply with limit values or assessment standards. However, there is no such thing as a sample workplace with sample protective measures. The BGHM along with cooperation partners at the SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN trade fair, has officially launched the SAFE WELDING initiative, in order to support companies in finding tailored measures and to make welding safer.
New Website and Web-based Training
An integral part of the SAFE WELDING initiative is the www.sicherschweissen.de website, which can be regarded as a fountain of knowledge. “We are developing the website on a continual basis. All cooperation partners are contributing new insights and most importantly their innovations. These are the ideal prerequisites for ensuring that all the information is up-to-date and practical”, says Rolf Woyzella, subject specialist for workplace ventilation and room ventilation at the BGHM. The website also offers web-based training, which was developed by the BGHM. This provides users with information on hazardous substances and welding work. Moreover, you will discover further details about the programme to reduce welding fumes, which comprises seven steps and is able to support risk assessment.
The DGUV Information 209-096 „Schweißrauchminderungsprogramm“ (programme to reduce welding fumes) is available at www.sicherschweissen.de. This is a step-by-step guide through the reduction process, offering notes, tips and practical examples. “The exemplary plan to reduce welding fumes, which can be found in the new information by DGUV, is a great example of what we would like to achieve with SAFE WELDING: particularly to be able to contribute knowledge to small businesses in terms of how the welding fume issue can be approached in a structured manner, in such a way that safe
welding will soon become the standard”, says Woyzella.
Cooperation Geared Towards Effective Occupationa Safety
The SAFE WELDING initiative is a result of the BGHM welding fume congresses which are held on a regular basis. These trade events have engaged specialists from the field and from research in workshops, to develop a programme for welding fumes reduction, the initiative was joined by accident insurance agencies, research institutes of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) such as the Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine (IPA), state occupational health and safety authorities, social partners, industrial associations, companies as well as the German Welding Society (DVS). The objectives: to development a sampling strategy for welding fume emissions, bundle research on welding fumes and make this accessible to users, initiate additional research projects and design forecasting tools for welding fumes. The BGHM and its cooperation partners will be sharing any progress, developments and new services within the scope of the SAFE WELDING initiative.
(Source: BGHM)
Schlagworte
FumesSCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN 2023Workplace Safety
