It is now even more critical to ensure your workplace complies with HSE rules and regulations and none (in Vent-Tech’s opinion) is more important than ensuring fumes such as zinc oxide from welding metal do not get breathed in by your welding employees. You can ensure your welder dons another piece of respitory protection gear to protect him/her from inhaling these types of fumes but with adequate ventilation and a good LEV systemyou might not need this.

Providing your welder with fresh air to breathe during welding activity and having Dilution Ventilation systems in place is important but it is not the method of choice – for that you have to look to Local Exhaust Ventilation systems which stop hazardous fumes from entering your welders lungs in the first place. LEV systems prevent a concentrated amount of fumes from drifting into the welders breathing zone. They eliminate the risk of the fumes entering the lungs by drawing the fumes safely away from the welder at the point of source.

Typically fumes and the plume of smoke generated by welding tends to raise in a small diameter. This allows an LEV system (consisting of flexible pipework – or ducting – with a positioned ventilation hood) to capture the fumes before it causes any damage to the welder in the close vicinity.

The hood should maintain a positive airflow rate – taking place slightly above the welding to not disturb the shield gas – of roughly 0.5m/sec to effectively capture the weld fume being generated.  It is important to place the hood slightly away from the welder to draw the fumes away from the area they are breathing. Vent-Tech’s LEV experts can ensure that proper positioning of the hood takes place but without it disturbing the shield gas.

If you are looking to prevent issues or errors in the positioning and placement of LEV systems in your workplace then talk with us today. Or click here for more detailed information on welding fume extraction systems.