Occupational hazards associated with welding work that influence health status of welders

Abstract

Welding apprentices invest in their vocational and technical training. The welding job has numerous risk factors, including physi-cal, chemical, and psychological. Exposure to these conditions may contribute to specific health problems and occupational hazards. Most welders learned to weld by apprenticeship, without any structured educational system in health and safety and a small number of welders is trained by trainers and certification course. Among some of the health-related problems that are led by welding work are skin burn, lung diseases, eye problems, hearing problems, heart problems, and musculoskeletal disorder. Welding work has various occupational health hazards because of the lack of using personal protective equipment. Personal protective equipment is a significant contributor to the prevention of various occupational health hazards. Physical morbidity profile of welders estimated 562000 employees are at risk for exposure to chemical and physical hazards according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration research. In 1993, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 58 deaths from welding and cutting accidents involving fires, electrocutions, asphyxiation, falls, and crushing injuries. Present overview of physical morbidity of welders are a low number of Publications about apprentices welding are a requirement for knowledge improving and give health promotion education to welders.