MetFab - Welding Fume Handbook - Flipbook - Page 13
4 Health and safety regulations in the UK
Regulation 7: Prevention or control of
exposure to substances hazardous to
health
Employers must ensure that the
exposure of employees to substances
hazardous to health is either prevented
or, where this is not reasonably
practicable, controlled. "Control" here
means compliance with occupational
exposure limits.
For welding, fume control will almost
always involve local exhaust ventilation
(LEV). When control cannot be achieved
by extraction alone, respiratory
protective equipment (RPE) must be
used. RPE should always be considered
a last resort, and used in addition to, not
instead of, LEV. RPE that is used must
be fit for purpose and approved by the
Health and Safety Executive.
Regulation 8: Use of control measures etc.
A suitable procedure for monitoring
welding fume and gases is described
in EN/ISO 10882: Health and Safety in
Welding and Allied Processes: Sampling
of airborne particles and gases in an
operator's breathing zone.
Regulation 11: Health surveillance
There is presently no legal requirement
to monitor the health of workers
exposed to welding fume.
Regulation 12: Information, instruction
and training for persons who may be
exposed to substances hazardous to
health
Workers who may be exposed to
substances hazardous to health must
be told the nature of the risks and
the precautions they should take.
They should be told how and why to
use control measures and protective
equipment and clothing.
Employers must ensure that control
equipment is properly used. Employees
must make full use of the equipment
provided and report any faults to the
employer.
Regulation 9: Maintenance, examination
and test of control measures etc.
All control measures must be properly
maintained, and maintenance records
kept for at least five years.
Regulation 10: Monitoring exposure at
the workplace
Periodic checks must be made, using
suitable procedures, to ensure that
adequate control of exposure is being
maintained. Employers must keep
records of these checks and make them
available for inspection.
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