• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.68-72
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• 1991

The present investigation studied the welding fumes produced during the arc welding process at a shipyard. The air at the shipyard was sampled (between February and May, 1990) to determine the total welding fume concentration, its heavy metal content and the concentrations of different sized particles of the welding fumes. The results were as follows : 1. Forty-four out of 50 samples showed welding fume concentrations which exceeding the threshold limit value of $5mg/m^3$. The geometric mean of welding fume concentration was $9.73mg/m^3$ ($2.14-24.86mg/m^3$), and the nighest level was found at the dock assembly shop ($12.0mg/m^3$). 2. The welding fume concentration measured with personal air sampler was 4.2 times greater than that measured with area sampler. 3. Of the heavy metals analyzed, Fe was found to be the most concentrated at $1.29mg/m^3$ ; it constitued 13.3% of the total welding fume concentration. 4. Of the different sized particles that make up the welding fumes, there was a tendency for the smaller particles to be more concentrated. Particles that measured $7{\mu}$ or less in diameter constituted 85.8% of the total welding fume concentration.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.60-65
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• 2010

This paper is concerned with effects of Al, Mn and Si contents on spatter, fume, microstructure and mechanical property with 490MPa Grade Flux Core Wire(FCW). Ten kinds of FCW were fabricated by varying Mn, Si and Al contents and each FCW was weld for check the amount of spatter and fume generations, microstructures and mechanical property. Amount of spatter and fume generations was decreased with the increasing Si contents and decreasing by Al contents in FCW. And, their microstructure of weld metal were changed by Mn, Al and Si contents in FCW. With increasing of Al and Si, acicular ferrite was fine and volume fraction of acicula ferrite was increased. Thereby leading to improvement of Charpy impact property and strength.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.76-87
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• 1998

The concentration of welding fume was measured by 221 welders themselves in chassis frame workplace of the manufactory from February, 1, 1996 to May, 31, 1997. Welding parameters were the welding current and the distance between helmet and arc. Those two optimum conditions were proposed by excess probability analysis using logistic regression, so the best position in the workplace was proposed considering two factors to control the welding fume. The results are as followings; 1) The excess proability of welding fume TLV was over 99% in above 260 Amperes of welding current and also in below 30cm of distanced between helmet and arc. 2) The equation from logistic regression analysis using SPSS/PC+5.02 had the welding current as a independent variable and the excess of welding fume TLV as a dependent variable (p<0.05). Logit(welding fume TLV) = 0.1296 ${\times}$ wlding currnet - 28.8750 3) The equation from logistic regression analysis using SPSS/PC+5.02 had the distance between helmet and arc as a independent variable and the excess of welding fume threshold limit value a, a dependent variable (p<0.05). Logit (welding fume TLV) = -0.6809 ${\times}$ distance between helmet and arc +25.1665 4) Considering both cases or 2) and 3). the result equation is following. (p<0.05). Logit (welding fume TLV) = 0.1346 ${\times}$ welding current -0.3859 ${\times}$ distance between helmet and arc -15.7382 5) The excess probability of welding fume threshold limit value was 100% in above 240 Ampere of welding current. Thus, below 220 Ampere can be suggested to reduce the 40% number of welders who have a excess welding fume threshold limit value. 6) The excess probability of welding fume TLV was 100% in below 34cm of distance between helmet and arc. Thus, over 38cm can be suggested to reduce the 33% number of welders who have a excess welding fume TLV. 7) Considering both 5) and 6) cases, first of all, the best welding current can be 200 Ampere to have a below 15% of welding fume excess probability for the welders who works in distance of 34-37cm. Secondly, to have a below 30% excess probability of welding fume TLV, the working distance must be over 38cm in 220 Ampere and 32cm in 200 Ampere. 8) To reduce the average exposure concentration of welding fume ($8.21{\pm}5.83mg/m^3$), the movable local exhaust system equipped with flexible hoods can be used.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.147-158
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• 2016

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the assessment of exposure to welding fume and heavy metals among construction welders. Methods: Activity-specific personal air samplings(n=206) were carried out at construction sites of three apartment, two office buildings, and two plant buildings using PVC(poly vinyl chloride) filters with personal air samplers. The concentration of fumes and heavy metals were evaluated for five different types of construction welding jobs: general building pipefitter, chemical plant pipefitter, boiler maker, ironworker, metal finishing welder. Results: The concentration of welding fumes was highest among general building pipefitters($4.753mg/m^3$) followed by ironworkers($3.765mg/m^3$), boilermakers($1.384mg/m^3$), metal finishing welders($0.783mg/m^3$), chemical pipefitters($0.710mg/m^3$). Among the different types of welding methods, the concentration of welding fumes was highest with the $CO_2$ welding method($2.08mg/m^3$) followed by SMAW(shield metal arc welding, $1.54mg/m^3$) and TIG(tungsten inert gas, $0.70mg/m^3$). Among the different types of workplace, the concentration of welding fumes was highest in underground workplaces($1.97mg/m^3$) followed by outdoor($0.93mg/m^3$) and indoor(wall opening as $0.87mg/m^3$). Specifically comparing the workplaces of general building welders, the concentration of welding fumes was highest in underground workplaces($7.75mg/m^3$) followed by indoor(wall opening as $2.15mg/m^3$). Conclusions: It was found that construction welders experience a risk of expose to welding hazards at a level exceeding the exposure limits. In particular, for high-risk welding jobs such as general building pipefitters and ironworkers, underground welding work and $CO_2$ welding operations require special occupational health management regarding the use of air supply and exhaust equipment and special safety and health education and fume mask are necessary. In addition, there is a need to establish construction work monitoring systems, health planning and management practices.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.414-423
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• 1998

Metal fume fever has been known as an occupational disease is induced by intense inhalation of fresh metal fume with a particle size smaller than $0.5{\mu}m\;to\;1{\mu}m$. The fumes originate from heating metals beyond their boiling point, as happens, for example, in welding operations. Oxidation usually accompanies this process. In most cases, this syndrome is due to exposure to zinc oxide fumes; however, other metals like copper, magnesium, cadmium, manganese, and antimony are also reported to produce such reactions. Authors report a case of metal fume fever suspected to be associated with copper fume inhalation. The patient was a 42-year-old male and was a smoker. He conducted inert gas tungsten arc welding on copper-coated materials without safety precautions such as a protective mask and adequate ventilation. Immediately after work, he felt metallic taste in his mouth. A few hours after welding, he developed headache, chilling sensation, and chest discomfort. He also complained of myalgia, arthralgia, feverish sensation, thirst, and general weakness. Symptoms worsened after repeated copper welding on the next day and subsided gradually following two weeks. Laboratory examination showed a transient increase of neutrophil count, eosinophilia, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and positive C-reactive proteinemia. Blood and urine copper level was also increased compared to his wife. Before this episode, he experienced above complaints several times after welding with copper materials but welding of other metals did not produce any symptoms. It was suggested that copper fume would have induced metal fume fever in this case. Further investigations are needed to clarify their pathogenic mechanisms.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.328-334
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• 2009

There are various methods for welding fume control. These methods can be divided into local exhaust system, general ventilation system and integrated control system. With the general ventilation system, we should have a good prediction tool for testing various appropriate control options. But, until now there are not many studies about how to predict the welding fume concentrations. Especially, the prediction of welding fume concentration is not a very easy task because welding fume is the particulate matters. In this study, we tried to measure $CO_2$ concentrations and welding fume concentrations in a small single room with a small ventilation opening. Using commercially available CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) software, we tried to predict $CO_2$ concentrations under the exactly same conditions. Then, we tried to compare the numerical $CO_2concentrations$ with the experimental results to know whether we could predict $CO_2$ concentrations. Then we tried to compare $CO_2$ concentrations with experimental welding fume concentrations to know whether we can use the numerical $CO_2concentrations$ to predict the welding fume concentration indirectly.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.301-311
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• 2015

Objectives: Operators of overhead traveling crane in a ship assembly factory perform work to transmit large vessel blocks to an appropriate working process. Hazardous matters such as metal dusts, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, loud noise and fine particles are generated by variable working activities in the factory. The operators could be exposed to the hazardous matters during the work. In particular, welding fumes comprised of ultra fine particles and heavy metals is extremely hazardous for humans when exposing a pulmonary through respiratory pathway. Occupational lung diseases related to welding fumes are increasingly on an upward tendency. Therefore, the objective of this study is to assess properly unknown occupational exposure to the welding fumes among the operators. Methods: This study intended to clearly determine an equivalence check whether or not chemical constituents and composition of the dusts, which existed in the driver's cab, matched up with generally known welding fumes. Furthermore, computational fluid dynamics program(CFD) was used to identify a ventilation assessment in respect of a contamination distribution of welding fumes in the air. The operators were investigated to assess personal exposure levels of welding fumes and respirable particulate. Results: The dust in an operation room were the same constituents and composition as welding fumes. Welding fumes, which caused by the welding in a floor of the factory, arose with an ascending air current up to a roof and then stayed for a long time. They were considered to be exposed to the welding fumes in the operation room. The personal exposure levels of welding fumes and respirable particulate were 0.159(n=8, range=0.073-0.410) $mg/m^3$ and 0.138(n=8, range=0.087-0.178) $mg/m^3$, respectively. They were lower than a threshold limit value level($5mg/m^3$) of welding fumes. Conclusions: These findings indicate that an occupational exposure to welding fumes can exist among the operators. Consequently, we need to be keeping the operators under a constant assessment in the operator process of overhead traveling crane.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.117-129
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• 2002

Concentration of welding fumes and their components is known to be hazardous to welder and adjacent worker. To determine the generation rates of metals in fumes, $CO_2$ flux cored arc welding on stainless steel was performed in well designed fume collection chamber. Variables were different products of flux cored wire(2 domestic products and 4 foreign products) and input energy(low-, optimal- , high input energy). Mass of welding fumes was determined by gravimetric method(NIOSH 0500 method), and 17 metals were analysed by inductively coupled plasm-atomic emission spectroscopy(NIOSH 7300 method). Flux cored wire tube and flux were analysed by scanning electron microscopy to determine their metal composition. 17 metals were classified by their generation rates. Generation rates of iron, manganese, potassium and sodium were all above 50mg/min at optimal input energy level. Generation rates of chromium and amorphous silica were 25~50mg/min. At 1~25mg/min level, nickel, titanium, molybdenum, and aluminum were included. Copper, zinc, calcium, lead, magnesium, lithium, and cobalt were generated below 1 mg/min. Generation rates of metal components in fumes were influenced by input energy, types of flux cored wire. Flux cored wire was consisted of outer shell tube and inner flux. Iron, chromium, and nickel were the major components of outer tube. Flux contained iron, chromium, nickel, potassium, sodium, silica, and manganese. The use of flux cored wire can increase the hazards by increasing the amounts of fumes formed relative to that of solid wire. The reason might be the direct transfer of elements from the flux, since the flux is fine power. Ratio of metals to the fume of flux cored wire was lower than that of solid wire because non-metal components of flux were transferred. Total metal content of fumes in flux cored arc welding was 47.4(24.3~57.2) percent that is much lower than that of solid wire, 75.9 percent. We found that generation rates of iron, manganese, chromium and nickel, all well known to cause work related disease to welder, increased more rapidly with increasing input energy than those of fumes. To reduce worker exposure to fumes and hazardous component at source, further research is needed to develop new welding filler materials that decrease both the amount of fumes and hazardous components.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.328-336
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• 1989

27 shipyard welders were diagnosed as pneumoconiosis and suspected pneumoconiosis(1976-1988) by chest radiographs and were observed over three years. 27 welders were divided into three groups by the state of exposure to welding fume i.e. cessation, decresase or continuity of exposure. And we observed the changing pattern of the chest radiographs of 27 welders with the passage of time. The results were as follows; 1. Grour I (ceased exposure to welding fume) were 10 cases(3 cases: suspected pneumoconiosis,7 cases: pneumoconiosis). Chest radiographs of all cases were improved. The shape and size of small opacities was improved in 6 cases(85.7%) and did not changed in 1 case(14.3%) out of 7 pneumoconiosis welders. 2. Group II (decreased exposure to welding fume) were S cases(2 cases: suspected pneumoconiosis, 3 cases: pneumoconiosis). Chest radiographs were progressed in 2 cases(40%), did not changed in 1 case(20%), were improved in 2 cases(40%) out of 5 cases. The shape and size of small opacities was progressed in 1 case(33.3%) and was improved in 2 cases(66.7%) out of 3 pneumoconiosis welders. 3. Group III(continued expoxsure to welding fume) were 12 cases(1 case: suspected pneumoconiosis, 11 cases: pneumoconiosis). Chest radiographs were progressed in 9 cases(75%), did not changed in 3 cases(25%) out of 12 cases. The shape and size of small opacities was progressed in 1 case(9.1%) and did not changed in 10 cases(90.9%) out of 11 pneumoconiosis welders. 4. The average duration for development into suspected pneumoconiosis was 6.6 years and for progression of each one category after that was 2.2 years(p<0.01). The radiological appearance of pneumoconiosis had disappeared or decreased after cessation of exposure to the welding fume. So that, early detection and control e.g., change of department of pneumoconiosis of welders by screening program will be important for medical surveillance of welders.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.181-195
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting the composition and concentrations of fumes generated from various types of welding processes. The results are as follows. 1. Iron(Fe), zinc(Zn) and manganese(Mn) were predominant in Welding fumes. The Fe content in total fumes was 25.5% in coated electrode and 28.2% in $CO_2$ are welding, and the Zn content was 4.5% and 9.1%, respectively, and the Mn was 3.6% and 7.8%, respectively. 2. It was found that the important factors determining composition and concentration of fumes were type of industries, type of welding processes, type and composition of electrodes, composition of base metals, confinement of workplaces or condition of ventilation, work intensity, coated metals such as lead and Zn in paint. 3. The Mn content in airborne fumes was highly correlated with that of electrode(r=0.77, p<0.01) and was about 4 times higher than that in electrodes or base metals. The results lindicate that Mn is well evaporated into air during welding. The higher vapor pressure of Mn may explain this phenomenon. 4. the airborne total fume concentrations were significantly different among types of industries(p<0.001). The airborne total fume concentration was higher in order of sleel-structure manufacturing($GM=15.1mg/m^3$), shipbuilding($GM=13.2mg/m^3$), automobile-component manufacturing ($GM=7.8mg/m^3$) and automobile assembling industry($GM=3.0mg/m^3$) 5. The airbone total fume concentration was 6 times higher in $CO_2$ welding than in coated electrode welding, and approximately 3 times higher in confined area than in open area, in steel-structure manufacturing industry. 6. The concentration of welding fume outside welding helmet was about 2 times higher than that inside it. It is recommened that air sampling be done inside helmet to evaulate worker's exposure accurately, for it has an outstanding effect on reducing worker exposure to fumes and other contaminants.