Oskar Talk

The Roll Media has been used for years to prolong filter life for portable units and downdraft tables filtering wet or oily particulates. The inner rolling media captures the wet or oily particulates before they reach the filter media. Most filter media can not handle wet or oily particulates.

In the past year Oskar has been working with many customers who have purchased dust collectors for their plasma and laser tables to find out that the dust collectors can not handle the smoke from the laser and plasma tables. This requires the customer to constantly replace expensive filters. After researching the problem and design of other dust collectors, Oskar developed two innovative products for plasma and laser tables: SRM 1000 / 2000 and the Type II dust collector. The SRM 1000 and SRM 2000 utilize the proven technology of roll media and fixes it to the outside of dust collectors. This creates a pre-filter that captures the majority of smoke and particulates before they reach the expensive filters of the dust collectors. The internal rolling mechanism advances the media automatically so there is minimal maintenance for the units. For more information on the SRM 1000 or SRM 2000 feel free to contact Oskar Air Products at sales@oskarsales.com or visit our website for more information www.oskarsales.com

It seems that no matter what happens in our economy welding still remains a pivotal part for the US infrastructure. With all the economic turmoil, declining dollar, major industries failing and jobs and plants moving overseas there still remains a very strong demand and need for welding in the US. No matter how much the dollar drops compared to other currencies a dollar in the US is still a dollar, if manufacturing facilities are moving oversees there still needs to be welders here to fix or modify the products in the US, the welders may not have the most glamorous job but the infrastructure of the US would crumble without them.

 Answers from a survey of industry leaders give valuable feeedback on the state of welding for the year 2000 and beyond.:

http://www.aws.org/research/future.html 

For those of you who do not browse through the OSHA’s safety booklets and publications, here is an excerpt listing fume hazards by metal type:

Hazardous Substances

Hazards From Metals Used in Welding

Metal fumes generated during welding range in toxicity. Because fumes from different metals are combined in the welding plume, it is clear that avoidance of the plume is the best protection against inhalation.

Aluminium:Fume group A (least toxic). Exposure to aluminium fumes may produce some lung effects. There is no clear picture of the dose required (concentration x time) for these to occur.

Barium:Fume group C (highly toxic). Water or acid soluble barium compounds are extremely poisonous. Fumes containing barium may result in a lung condition called baritosis which is one of the benign pneumoconioses in which inhaled particulate matter lies in the lungs for years without producing symptoms. Baritosis produces abnormal physical signs including incapacity for work, interference with lung function, or liability to develop pulmonary or bronchial infections or other thoracic disease.

Beryllium:Fume group D (extremely toxic). Used mainly as an alloy with other metals, beryllium is deadly and extreme precautions must be taken. This metal must be welded in inert atmospheres, inside airtight enclosures, with the welder outside.

Cadmium:Fume group D (extremely toxic). Used in electroplating and as an alloy with metals, cadmium is also an ingredient in some paints. A single exposure to cadmium oxide fumes can cause fatal lung irritation.

Chromium:Fume group C (highly toxic). The oxidation of chromium alloys can produce chromium trioxide fumes, often referred to as chromic acid. These fumes may produce skin irritation as well as bronchitis and other problems.

Cobalt:Fume group C (highly toxic). Milling tungsten carbide tips (during saw sharpening) can cause airborne dust concentrations great enough to lead to ‘hard metal’ respiratory disease. Cobalt (a binder ingredient) is considered a crucial factor in producing this disease, though this may involve an interaction with the tungsten carbide itself.

Copper:Fume group B (toxic). Like zinc, Inhalation of copper fume may cause ‘metal fume fever’.

Iron:Fume group A (least toxic). Prolonged, heavy exposure to fumes from welding iron articles can result in a condition called siderosis, with visible changes on an x-ray but no changes in lung function.

Lead:Fume group C (highly toxic). Poisoning generally results from inhalation of fumes, although the swallowing of dust is also a cause. Lead-based paints are a source of lead fumes, especially when old steel structures are cut or welded. Signs and symptoms of lead poisoning may include abdominal pains, constipation, headaches, weakness, muscular aches or cramps, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and anaemia. In severe cases, it can be fatal.

Magnesium:Fume group B (toxic). The oxide fumes from magnesium can produce metal fume fever, which is characterised by influenza-like symptoms.

Manganese:Fume group B (toxic). Manganism is a serious occupational disease but its link to welding is controversial.

Mercury:Mercury vapour can be produced by welding or cutting metals coated with protective materials containing mercury compounds, such as the antifouling paints used on ships’ hulls. Nowadays, less toxic substitutes are used in place of mercury, but there will still be some vessels in service which are protected with mercury-containing antifouling compounds. Exposure to mercury vapour may result in abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and other serious problems which, collectively, can result in death.

Nickel:Fume group C (highly toxic). Often used as an undercoating on chrome-plated parts, nickel and its compounds are generally considered to have low toxicity.

Silver:Fume group C (highly toxic).

Tin:Fume group A (least toxic).

Titanium:Fume group A (least toxic). Dust may irritate the respiratory tract in high concentrations.

Tungsten:Fume group B (toxic). Milling tungsten carbide tips (during saw sharpening) can cause airborne dust concentrations great enough to lead to ‘hard metal’ respiratory disease. Cobalt (a binder ingredient) is considered a crucial factor in producing this disease, though this may involve an interaction with the tungsten carbide itself.

Vanadium:Fume group C (highly toxic). Dust and vanadium pentoxide fumes may cause severe eye, throat and respiratory tract irritation and pain.

Zinc:Fume group B (toxic). Welding, brazing, or flame cutting of galvanised steel causes zinc oxide fumes. Inhalation of these may result in metal fume fever.

Fluorides

These and other toxic compounds of fluorine may be found in some welding and brazing fluxes, electrode coverings and submerged arc fluxes. Containers are labelled to warn of the presence of fluorides. The fumes will cause chills, fever, painful breathing, and coughs if inhaled. Over a long period, fluoride can build up in the bones, causing them to lose calcium and become brittle.

Hazards from Gases Generated by Welding Processes

The following gases are generated from welding processes and are particularly serious hazards that must be protected against.

Nitrogen dioxide:Formed in the welding arc directly from the air, nitrogen dioxide is very irritating to the eyes and mucous membranes of the lungs and throat. Exposure to concentrations between 200 ppm and 700 ppm (parts per million) can be fatal. Lower concentrations may produce only mild bronchial irritation, but will be followed several hours later by acute pulmonary oedema (fluid in the lungs).

Phosgene:This gas is produced when residues of chlorinated hydrocarbon degreasers, such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, are left on metal being welded or flame-cut. The heat and the ultraviolet radiation cause the degreaser to decay into phosgene gas, which was used as a poisonous gas in the First World War. Freon gas, which is used in many refrigeration plants and as a propellant in aerosol cans, will also decompose to form phosgene when exposed to ultraviolet rays. Phosgene will produce skin inflammation. Inhalation of high concentrations will cause pulmonary oedema. Death may result through respiratory or heart failure.

Phosphine:When steel which has been coated with a phosphate rust-proofing is welded, phosphine gas is generated. High concentrations will irritate the eyes, nose and skin. Very high concentrations can result in severe damage to kidneys and other organs, and perhaps death.

Ozone:A gas produced by the ultraviolet radiation in the air in the vicinity of arc welding and cutting operations, ozone is very irritating to all mucous membranes. Excessive exposure produces pulmonary oedema. Other effects of exposure include headache, chest pain, and dryness of the respiratory tract.

Agents for Cleaning and Passivating Stainless Steel

These substances are both very dangerous and will require specialised methods of storage, use and disposal:

• nitric acid
• hydrofluoric acid.

http://www.osh.dol.govt.nz/publications/booklets/welding2006/part11-14.html

Ken Haga, Territory Manager of Industrial Air Qualty, Inc submitted the following article he found on Welding Rod Dangers.  This information was compiled by the law firm of Brayton & Purcell LLP.  http://www.welding-rod-dangers.com/illness/illness_manganism.htm).

What is Manganism?

Prolonged exposure to manganese may lead to manganese poisoning, a condition known as manganism. You should be concerned about this disease if you are a welder because you may have been exposed to high levels of manganese through welding rod fumes, which contain various toxic metals.

Manganism looks similar to Parkinson’s disease. Patients with either disease exhibit a fixed gaze, tremors, body rigidness, and slowed movement (bradykinesia). Welders exposed to manganese are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than the rest of the population, especially at an early age.

Clinical Stages of Manganese Poisoning
Doctors recognize three stages of manganism or manganese poisoning (Int J Occup Environ Health. 2003 Apr–Jun; 9(2): 153–63). In the first stage, patients are exhausted, apathetic, and weak, and may get headaches. The patient’s problems may easily be confused with depression and other illnesses. Some researchers believe that this early stage is reversible. If you are a welder who has been experiencing these early symptoms, you should remove yourself from the source of manganese exposure.

The second stage involves short–term memory loss, impaired judgment, slurred speech, and sometimes even hallucinations. “Manganese madness” was the term used to describe the compulsive, strange behavior of workers in the manganese mines (J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1999; 37(2): 293–307).

Signs of the last stage include involuntary muscle movements; tremors; poor coordination; a mask–like, rigid face; and a staggering, strutting gait. This final stage is irreversible and may lead to complete disability. Removing a patient from manganese exposure at this point does not seem to be helpful. In one study, the disease progressed over a 10–year period even after patients were no longer exposed to manganese (Neurology. 1998 Mar; 50(3): 698–700).

The symptoms of manganism may appear anywhere from several months to several years after a patient’s initial contact with manganese (Int J Toxicol. 2003 Sep–Oct;22(5):393–401). If you have been exposed to manganese, it is important to have regular medical checkups and to let your doctor know about your work history.

This article highlights some of the control methods that can be used to filter or extract harmful air impurities away from the welder. There are various different ways to extract or filter the air and there isn’t necessarily one correct way. Usually the correct way is going to correspond with what is comfortable with the welder and making sure that welder is achieving the most air levels compatible with OSHA’s regulations.  

Charles

  http://www.occupationalhazards.com/Issue/Article/77118/
Welding_Safety_Ventilation_is_a_Breath_of_Fresh_Air.aspx

December 1, 2007

Welding Safety: Ventilation is a Breath of Fresh Air

By Bruce Prather

Choosing the proper ventilation necessary to protect welders and others from airborne particles is a challenging task requiring the right information about hazards.

Tom, a welder for 20 years, has encountered many workplace health issues throughout his career. “I know a lot of welders who have suffered from emphysema from inhaling fumes,” he says. “There used to be airborne particles running rampant all over the place, but even with the new OSHA standards I’m still concerned.”
Tom, himself a survivor of cancer his doctors believe to be related to his occupational inhalation of airborne particles, has good reason to be concerned.

During my decade-long experience in the air quality industry, I have encountered many stories like Tom’s. Employees want to be a part of a work environment where they are free to breathe without worry about the unseen airborne particles that threaten their health.

Dating back to antiquity, airborne particles have been identified as potential health hazards. With the rise of modern science, medical scientists have illustrated the relationship between the chemical and physical characteristics of airborne particles and respiratory diseases. Generally, airborne particles are categorized into three main types:

• Large particles – Particles greater than 100 microns in diameter are considered large. These particles fall quickly and include such things as hail, snow, room dust and soot aggregates. Although they can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, large particles are not fine enough to reach the lungs.
• Medium particles – Particles that are between 1 and 100 microns in diameter are considered medium-sized. Settling slowly, these particles consist of pollen, large bacteria and coal dust, as well as dust produced during industrial processes including welding and grinding. These particles pose the greatest health risk, because they are able to pass through the nose and throat and penetrate the gas exchange region of the lungs where they settle.
• Small particles – Small particles are less than 1 micron in diameter and also pose serious health risks. They can be washed out by water and rain, and include viruses, small bacteria, metallurgic fumes and dust, as well as paint pigments.

Industrial workers are exposed to hazardous airborne particles on a daily basis. Given that there are an estimated 400,000 workers in the welding industry alone, it is important to understand the potential health consequences of particle inhalation.

Health Concerns

Airborne particles pose a variety of health concerns to workers in the welding industry, including increased risk for developing lung cancer; damage to nose, throat and lungs; and metal fume fever.

            It has been well documented that long-term exposure to the fumes that welding on metals – such as stainless steel, high chrome alloys and chrome-coated metals – produces can lead to an increased risk for developing lung cancer.
As the most serious potential health concern, lung cancer begins with changes in the lungs caused by exposure to carcinogens. These changes are characterized by the development of abnormal cells on the lining of the bronchi (breathing tube) that multiply with increased exposure and eventually become cancerous, progressing into a tumor. Symptoms of lung cancer include chronic cough, hoarseness, chest pain, shortness of breath and repeated episodes of bronchitis and pneumonia.

The inhalation of known welding by-products such as hexavalent chromium also can damage or irritate the nose, throat and lungs. Larger airborne particles deposit in the nose and throat, contributing to coughing and sore throat, and may be eliminated by sneezing or blowing one’s nose. Smaller particles, however, collect in the tiny air sacs of the lungs, causing inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels.

Metal fume fever is an acute allergic condition that affects many welders throughout the duration of their careers. It chiefly is caused by exposure to zinc oxide, another welding fume, and produces flu-like symptoms. Welders afflicted by metal fume fever may experience headache, fever, chills, muscle aches, thirst, nausea, vomiting, chest soreness, gastrointestinal pain and weakness. These symptoms can last anywhere from 6-24 hours and complete recovery can usually be expected within 48 hours.

Control Methods

In light of these airborne health hazards, a number of control methods have been created to limit workplace exposure. Such methods include air ionizers, fume arms and downdraft tables.

Air ionizers operate by creating negative ions and changing the polarity of airborne particles. By changing polarity, particles magnetically attract together, becoming too large to remain airborne, and as a result, fall out of a worker’s breathing zone.

Fume arms, or lab hoods, are another option. These units typically are self-contained, 8-to-12 foot arms (snorkels) attached to a filtration system that can be moved from location to location. In order to absorb airborne particles, the arm is placed over the workstation, drawing up fumes and smoke.

Finally, downdraft tables are self-contained units that draw air from the workplace in a downward direction through perforated table tops. They maintain a powerful suction in an open workspace, as the filtration system filters dust, fumes and smoke away from operators’ breathing zones. Downdraft units also exhaust clean air back into the workplace.

Important Considerations

Employers seeking to improve workplace air quality and acquire the appropriate equipment for their needs undoubtedly face a difficult task. Though a complicated process, the following considerations can help ensure that both employer and worker interests are met:

• What emissions need to be captured and what filtration options are the most effective for each situation?
• Should a ventilation system be self-contained or integrated into the existing HVAC system?
• Is there a need for a source capture filtration system?

It is important to first review the emissions that need to be captured and the available filtration options. Depending on the air quality issue at hand, different filters may be needed to accomplish the desired effect.

Fumes from glue and paint, for instance, are often best absorbed by carbon filters. These filters are available in the weight increments of 2, 6, 12 and 30 pounds. Dust particulate and smoke particles, however, usually require two to three stage filter packs. The first of these filters is a pre-filter, minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) 8 to 11, which is 40 percent efficient to the submicron level, followed by a MERV 14-15, 95 percent efficient to 0.7 microns, and finally, in those instances where the finest airborne particles are present, a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter may be needed, boasting a 99.97 percent efficiency rate to 0.3 microns.

When deciding whether or not a ventilation system should be self-contained or integrated into the existing HVAC system, it is important to consider the volume of air being circulated. Most air cleaning equipment will generate 1,000 to 3,000 cubic feet of air per minute, and if the system is not self-contained, this air will need to be replaced with heated or cooled air. In an 8-hour shift, approximately 960,000 cubic feet of air will need to be heated or cooled in an integrated system, creating an additional cost that must be calculated.

Source capture filtration systems capture contaminants as they are occurring at the worksite. Many professionals prefer this method of filtration because it does not allow airborne particles to disperse and potentially endanger workers before absorption.

Due to the individual challenges each air quality problem presents, no one ventilation system can provide a universal solution. The complexities of these situations may even be such that the expertise of an air quality specialist or industrial hygienist is needed.

The responsibility of today’s maintenance and engineering managers to maintain a clean indoor air environment markedly has increased in recent decades. Employees are more concerned about health: They are more aware of allergic conditions and they have become increasingly informed about the adverse effects of hazardous airborne particles.

Faced with the substantial complexities of improving air quality, occupational safety and health professionals should carefully consider their workplace needs and available options and act on this knowledge. Doing this will help increase the health and efficiency of both workers and workplaces, and ensure ever-increasing regulatory compliance in a constantly changing industrial world.

            I was recently doing some research on current news on the welding industry and came across several different articles about lawsuits claiming the dangerous heath effects of welding smoke. These lawsuits all occurred prior to OSHA’s recent Hexavalent Chromium standards. There should be a rise is OSHA’s activity in welding facilities and lawsuits against companies not providing their employees with the proper protection against welding fumes and other harmful air particulates. 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2007/12/federal_court_jury_finds_for_p.html

A federal jury in Cleveland on Wednesday ordered Euclid-based Lincoln Electric Holdings and four other companies to pay $17.5 million to a welder who claims he got sick from the fumes he inhaled.

The verdict — delivered after a twelve-day trial and more than a week of deliberation — marks a rare victory for welders who say the companies that made the welding products gave them little warning about the dangers of inhaling welding fumes. The fumes, they claim, lead to tremors, headaches and symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.

http://www.welding-rod-dangers.com/news/news_091609_settlement.htm

Welding Rod Lawsuit Settled for Seven–Figure Amount

CLEVELAND, OH — September 16, 2005 — A welder’s lawsuit against two welding rod manufacturers has been settled for a seven–figure amount, according to news sources. Charles Ruth claimed that he had been exposed to dangerous welding fumes containing manganese, and developed tremors, balance, and speech problems. These symptoms may be signs of manganese poisoning, illnesses related to Parkinson’s disease (Parkinsonism), or even Parkinson’s disease itself.

http://www.welding-rods-lawsuits.com/

Welding Rods Lawsuits .com

An Illinois jury recently awarded $1 million to a welder who developed a Parkinson’s-like disease called Manganism, from years of breathing manganese welding rod fumes.

In Larry Elam’s case, the jury ruled that welding-rod manufacturers are responsible for failing to warn him about serious health risks. Elam, 65, of Collinsville, Ill., said he used rods made and sold by major companies across the country, including Lincoln Electric Co. in Cleveland. The companies argued that there is no link between welding and Parkinson’s.

http://www.datakey.org/gawdajournal/1q06/settlement.php3

The settlement of the Charles Ruth case for a reported $1.5 million by defendants SAB and Hobart Brothers does not mean that welding rod manufacturers or distributors are throwing in the towel….

Plaintiff Ruth was a welder in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for several years beginning in the late 1990s. He developed severe neurological impairment, including “masking” of the facial features and difficulties in motors skills, and claimed that these injuires were caused by exposure to the manganese in welding fumes…

Charles:

This just reiterates why OSHA recently modified the levels of Hexavelent Chromium and other fumes a welder is allowed to be exposed to. Welding fumes are very dangerous to the workers and welders need to use some type of Fume Extraction or Filtration product.  Workers should urge their employers to purchase these products for the welfare of the workers and liability of the companies, it is every easy and inexpensive to change out filters when compared to someone’s health.

If the welding industry has anything to learn from the past decade, it is that the stakes of doing business have permanently been raised.  The 1990’s were characterized by an enhanced emphasis on quality, reducing costs to compete in a global market, optimizing floor space for maximum output, training and maintaining a skilled workforce.  As a result, the major question for the new millennium is not if any particular metal fabricator will adopt robotic welding technology, but rather when and how.

Automation will be a matter of survival, not only for large shops creating a high volume of pieces, but for the small fabricator, for whom the ability to raise productivity while reducing costs will determine the actual viability of his business.

http://www.robotics.org/beginners-guide-detail.cfm?content_id=663

 This is why Oskar Air Products has designed 3 state of the art filtration systems for Welding. These new systems include an integrated control panel, up to 4-stages of filtration which includes Oskar’s patented Roll Media to extend filter life, entire unit is powder coated steel and can be customized to fit almost any welding cell.