Safety First

Safety and protection are important for dangerous jobs such as welding. Welding helmets are the headgear worn to protect the face and neck during the following  welding operations:

• arc welding
• shielding metal arc welding
• gas tungsten arc welding
• and gas metal arc welding

With out proper knowledge and safety precautions welding can be both dangerous and unhealthy. Most welding processes involve an arc flame, so the risk of facial and flesh burns is very high- 1 to 10. Jackson welding helmets are durable and dependable, they significantly reduce any risk of injury, and allow for quality work to be done both safely and effectively. These helmets are specifically designed for optimal protection of the eyes. Standard welding helmets protect the eyes from ultraviolet emissions released during multiple arc welding processes; exposure to these emissions result in inflammation of the cornea and is known as arc eye. It’s very important to find a United States Industry approved helmet that covers all necessary security features and provides sufficient protection to prevent or greatly reduce any and all risks of injury resulting in personal harm or physical damage.

Also, welding helmets can prevent damaging health risks such as arc eye, inflamed cornea, and retina burns. Any unprotected exposure to the highly concentrated release of ultraviolet and infrared light emissions from the welding arc can cause such damages, 20-30 percent of these emissions are dangerous. The same ultraviolet emissions can also harm any unprotected skin. Most skin damage is comparable to a sunburn and can occur quickly hence the term “flash burn”.These helmets, such as Jackson welding helmets, protect from:

• flash burns
• ultraviolet light
• sparks
• infrared light
• heat

Older models of welding helmets were worn up during most welding operations. Traditionally, the welder would work with the helmet in an up position and pay close attention to his work. When the worker began an arc welding process (arc welding, shielding metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, and gas metal arc welding) he would need to nod his head for the helmet to fall into place for  protection. With Jackson welding helmets, they can be worn in a down position at all times.

Can’t See? Can’t Weld

Welding is a fun yet dangerous task. For some people welding is part of their occupation, while for others it is more of a hobby or an art form. Either way, proper safety gear is necessary to crank out work without getting hurt. Welding helmets with an auto darkening lens are durable and dependable, they protect the face by drastically reducing the amount of exposure while still allowing the welder to see clearly with normal lighting.
If not properly shielded, damage to the eyes can occur such as:

·  Retinal burns

·  Total loss of vision (blindness)

·  Flash burns

Welding helmets with an auto darkening lens are always essential since eye damage can occur over a relatively short period of time. However, the symptoms of retinal damage do not come into effect until 36 hours prior to exposure. Many health hazards can arise from the emission of electromagnetic waves, namely ultraviolet radiation; ultraviolet light is the most frequent cause of radiation based eye injuries. In addition to the ultraviolet exposure risk there are other ways in which the eyes can be damaged without proper protection during welding.
Such risks are:

·  Photochemical damage to the retina

o Photochemical damage is a result of exposure to intense blue light

·   

·  Thermal damage to the retina

o Thermal damage to the retina occurs when exposed to visible and near infrared radiation

·  In all cases, the longer the exposure the greater the damage. Therefore making welding helmets a very important piece of safety equipment. While most welding-related eye injuries are reversible, with over 50 percent of injured workers returning to work in less than two days and 95 percent in about a week. Still, some eye injuries are irreversible and permanent visual impairment can disable even the most skilled welders. Don’t be guilty of a rookie mistake due to overconfidence. Follow the cliche and choose safe over sorry no matter the size of the project. When purchasing a new welding helmet to protect that noggin and pretty little eyes, consider one with an auto darkening lens so you can look like a hardcore pro- yeah rookie, even you.