Welding suits: pros and cons of different types

During operation with the welding machine, various negative consequences are possible. To avoid them, special welding suits have been invented, which help to minimize the influence of chemical dust, fumes, explosive gases, sprays, etc., to a minimum. In addition, without a uniform, an employee can receive radiation emanating from the working arc of the ultraviolet and infrared ranges.

What is the overall for what?

The profession of a welder is considered one of the most dangerous, since during work it is possible to get burns and injuries from open fire, sparks and splashes of liquid metal and slag, high temperature of the melt bath. Also, activity is accompanied by constant noise when processing materials, and the probability of getting under the negative effect of an electric current is quite high.

Often, workers find themselves in uncomfortable conditions, in confined spaces or at a very high altitude, where there is a threat of a fall of the person himself or of working mechanisms, various items, etc. The welding suits that must be worn while performing any of the above works .

Kit Contents

In terms of protection, first of all, the stake is placed on the face, the eyes, which must be protected from strong radiation and light, hot spatter and slag. To do this, wear glasses equipped with filters, a helmet or a shield, caps (in another way they are called balaclavas) made of fire-resistant material. To protect the respiratory organs from the effects of fumes, oxides, fumes, welding suits include special respirators.

The basis of the set consists of a jacket and trousers made of tested, fire-resistant materials. These elements of overalls protect the entire body from minor burns of a local nature. Pants uniforms are sewn without cuffs, and the jacket contains only such pockets that have fasteners in the form of Velcro or valves. This excludes the ingress of sparks into the pocket or incandescent slag particles during operation.

Requirements for working clothes

The suit for welding works according to the requirements is made exclusively from natural fabrics with special impregnation, which protects the worker from radiation, molten metal, fire sparks, etc. Before work, the owner must pay attention to the fact that the robe does not have stains on its surface from lubricants, oils , Fuel. Also, you can not wear a suit with torn edges, scrapes, tissue tears. Why? All these seemingly minor injuries can contribute to injuries, burns. Under a jacket usually put on a shirt of dark color with long sleeves. On the sleeves should be present cuffs with clasps and a collar, in addition to protect open skin areas on the neck and wrists.

It is excluded to use synthetic material for the manufacture of overalls. Such material quickly ignites, and therefore carries a danger.

How to wear

Welders in the performance of works are protected not only by quality welding suits, but also by the correct way of wearing them. For example, trousers should be worn over shoes (be it boots or boots) so that the bootlegs are completely closed. In addition, on the sleeves of the jacket in the area of the elbows make special lining of the skin. The same pieces of skin are sewn on the knees to strengthen the strength of clothing. As for the buttons, they are closed with a strap to hide from the effects of high temperature.

What is not recommended to take with you? In pockets it is strictly forbidden to carry lighters, matches, paper, since all this represents an additional danger of fire.

Types of costumes for welding

Among the main types of welding suits, it is necessary to distinguish the following:

• canvas,
• suede,
• leather,
• cloth,
• Spilkovy.

Each of these species has its pros and cons. So, the leather suit protects well from the scale, but it is uncomfortable in the summer, as the skin is quickly heated, and the worker is very hot in it. The tarpaulin suit has a high strength due to the density of the material and has excellent ventilation. Its drawback lies in the fact that tarpaulin quickly flares up under the influence of high temperature. The suede sponge is waterproof, but with prolonged use of fire this material can also catch fire.

If you classify clothing, based on the climatic conditions in which a welder should work, then the robes can be conditionally divided into summer and winter. In addition, the costumes are combined and collateral. What is the difference? As a rule, the combined version includes a jumpsuit, and the selection involves the presence of separate jackets and pants. One of the striking examples of selection options is the welding suit "Zeus", made with the use of fire-resistant technology "Proban". It consists of trousers with elastic braid on the waist, a jacket with a turndown collar. In the area of the knees pockets are provided for the cushion inserts.

Split welding suit

Today, special popularity is enjoyed by the welding fittings, which have a high degree of protection and are perfectly suitable for hazardous work. Such clothes are lined with spilk - a substance obtained as a result of special treatment of the skin.

Previously, the role of a heater was a regular batting. A modern robe is sewn using a multi-layer sintepon. This material is good because it has practically no weight, "breathes", that is, it well passes air and repels moisture. For a guaranteed protection of the worker combine such a heater, split fabric and dense tarpaulin.

Warm suits

Due to the fact that gas welding works are carried out all the year round, manufacturers produce both winter and summer welding suits. Photos of various types of overalls are presented on the pages of online stores. So, for winter they make insulated suits, for which several layers of basic material and various kinds of insulation are taken.

A separate series are suits for working in the Far North, where there are very severe frosts. In such conditions, especially warm clothes are needed, since the work can take a long time. Here the front part of the jacket is covered with a spilk, and in some cases a spinal cord and a coquette are covered with a spilk cloth. Felt pads are equipped with pants. Obliged fasteners are required. Also in the robe may be a hood and windproof valves.

Additional elements of overalls

While working in a sitting or standing position, it will additionally protect the leather apron, which covers almost the entire body well (from the chest to the ankles). The incandescent particles of slag and metal, falling on this apron, will not damage the welding suit. The winter version of the overalls also includes warm gloves or gloves with crochets. It is worth noting that in the robe special ventilation holes are made, since the material is very tight.

Separate requirements are advanced to the shoes. These can be boots or boots, for which a special non-stick rubber is used to make the sole, providing protection from the effects of electricity and flame.

Shields and masks

Suits for welding work protect the body, but what to protect from the burns and radiation of the eye? To do this, for a long time used shields, and then masks of cardboard and mask "chameleon". Also allowed to wear special glasses.

Recently, the scutes have lost their relevance, since in practice they are inconvenient to use. The welder is forced to hold the shield with one hand and the other to do the work. More practical in this respect is a mask made of cardboard, equipped with a viewing window with a light filter. Its disadvantage is that at first the person should see the place of work, and then lower the mask with a nod of the head or just a hand. These few seconds are enough to damage the eyesight.

Do not need to raise before work mask "chameleon". In it, instead of the traditional filter, a glass is built in, which acquires a dark color during the ignition of the arc. In this case, it is possible to customize this mask for you.