The American Society of Safety Engineers have published a great article titled “Are Welding Fumes an Occupational Health Risk Factor?“. It contains some incredible insight into the dangers and negative impacts welding fumes can have on your health. We’ve quoted a portion of the article below with a link to the full article.

Welding fume exposure in the workplace is a serious occupational hazard. Employee exposure to welding fumes, specifically to those that contain manganese, has garnered national media attention within the last few years. Thousands of welders have filed lawsuits against welding rod manufacturers, distributors and suppliers alleging that the manganese present in welding fumes causes a host of illnesses, including…

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Exposure to welding fumes can cause numerous health problems. When inhaled, welding fumes can enter the lungs, bloodstream, brain nerve cells, spinal cord and other organs and can cause both short- and long-term health effects.

Of the many welders who work in factories or in the construction, ironworks, manufacturing, mining, metallurgy, petrochemical, railroad, shipbuilding or steel industries, most suffer from some sort of respiratory illness or pulmonary infection. In recent years, however, the effects of manganese welding fume exposure on welders’ health have warranted closer study.

Read the full article.