Breathe Freely Launches New Web Based Welding Fume Control Selector Tool

Breathe freely have launched a welding fume control selector tool. This web-tool is designed to complement the information on the Breathe Freely webpages. It provides guidance on welding fume control for common welding tasks.

A panel of experts from industry, consultancies, academia and the HSE formed a working group to create this web-tool in order to inform managers and supervisors of welders, about the best welding fume controls available to protect their health.

The web-tool is not a substitute for a properly conducted risk assessment and any recommendations should be considered carefully together with the circumstances of the individual job and work location.

What the selector tool does

You only have to answer four simple work task-related questions and the tool will produce a guidance sheet with the control solution based on the responses.

The tool recognises that under some site-specific circumstances, it may not be possible, or affordable, to use the optimum control solution.

Therefore, at the end of the selected guidance sheet you will find other alternative acceptable control solutions.

The tool also ranks the control solutions using a familiar 5-star rating.

This is based on the overall likely effectiveness of fume control.

The 5-star rating combines the two key elements of:

How well the control solution can effectively capture welding fume when it is of a design, which matches the needs of the process, is kept in good working order and is used correctly.

The reliability of the control solution to work effectively. This element of reliability is essential to minimise exposure to the fume consistently. When a control is heavily reliant on the user adopting good working practice every time without fail, the actual likelihood of achieving effective fume control will be low.

The selector makes the assumption that the user has considered the need to carry out the welding task using the selected metal type or welding technique, and that the user has considered other alternative ways to carry out the task which would prevent or minimise exposure to welding fume.

Based on the answers you select regarding your welding task, the web-tool will produce a sheet with the optimum solution to control exposure to welding fume.

The control sheets are intended to be a starting point to enable you to get assistance from a competent supplier, who will provide a suitable and effective solution.

Follow the breathe freely link below for access to the Welding Fume Control Selector Tool http://www.breathefreely.org.uk/wst/

Follow the link below for guidance from the HSE regarding Weld Fume

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