LASER WELDING SAFETY
unless the laser incorporates safety features, such as shielding at the laser head and proximity sensors. Many handheld laser welders
and cleaners on the market do not have engineering control measures associated with them to enclose the beam or extract the hazardous fume, and do not come with adequate information regarding the risks and the safety measures required. This is concerning as it is likely to lead to people using this equipment without the knowledge or information about the hazards or how to use it safely. The hazards associated with this work
may be significant; the laser beam, including scatter from the workpiece will be capable of causing permanent retinal eye injury, as well as burns to the skin. The fume produced from the welding/cleaning process is hazardous and depending on the workpiece, may be carcinogenic. It may be difficult to
fully extract this fume unless the process area is fully enclosed, which is rarely the case with a hand-held system. Inhalation of this fume could result in the development of serious long- term health effects, and so effective fume extraction and prevention of fume inhalation must be a priority. Before purchasing handheld laser
welding or cleaning equipment, organisations must first consider whether this work is justified, i.e. could the work be done using an enclosed or remote system? If the answer to this is ‘yes’, then the use of a handheld system cannot be justified. If an organisation concludes that a handheld laser welder/cleaner must be used for the work, then the organisation must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and implement control measures according to the hierarchy of control measures (which prioritises engineering controls
over administrative controls and PPE), that adequately reduce the risk to its employees. As with any hazard, it is not acceptable to rely on PPE without full consideration and implementation (if reasonably practicable) of control measures further up the hierarchy, such as localised enclosure of the process zone and fume extraction. This is a fundamental principle of UK Health and Safety Legislation, including the Control of Artificial Optical Radiation at Work Regulations 2010 (AOR10), which covers work with lasers. Unless the risks can be mitigated
to an acceptable level, this work must not be carried out. As a first step, any organisation
considering handheld welding or cleaning should consult a laser safety professional so that competent advice can be provided
www.srp-uk.org
www.welding-world.com
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