Weld puddles and splatters are common in welding, but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. Being cautious of their high temperatures will ensure that you stay safe while welding.
On average, the temperature of a weld puddle ranges from 550 to 1200 degrees Celsius. These temperatures, when converted to Fahrenheit equal 1022 and 2192 degrees, both of which can cause severe burns if touched.
The following article is a brief guide on how the high temperatures of weld puddles affect your safety. It also includes some instructions on how to avoid making weld puddles, thus increasing the safety of welding.
What Are the Effects of Touching A Weld Puddle?
The main danger that comes with touching a weld puddle is severe burns to your fingers and hands. Temperatures over 118 to 162 degrees Celsius will cause second and third-degree burns, making weld puddles extremely dangerous to human skin.
Second-degree burns occur when the two most surface-level parts of the skin are damaged. These are known as the epidermis and the dermis layers, and they provide most of the outer protection our bodies need. When these layers get damaged, the affected area will appear red and swollen and sometimes have a few white blotches on the skin.
As the second-degree burn begins to heal, blisters and scarring might also appear. Second-degree burns are painful, but a hospital visit and some prescribed medications will help them heal.
Third-degree burns, however, are much more serious. These burns penetrate the skin to its fat layer or the hypodermis layer. This layer is where nerves and connective tissue are stored and is thus extremely susceptible to damage. Skin that has been burned this severely can look leathery and usually takes on a brown or black color. If the burn is severe enough, the nerves can get destroyed and cause that area to go completely numb.
This is why being cautious of weld splatters and puddles is extremely important. Even a few seconds in contact with the molten metal can cause severe damage to your skin.
What Should You Do If You Touch a Weld Puddle?
If you accidentally touch a weld puddle or splatter, you can take action to minimize the damage. Fortunately, weld puddles cool down significantly in a short amount of time. So, unless you touch the puddle just as it forms, then the likelihood of getting severely burned is decreased.
The main indicators of when to seek medical help for a burn are the following:
- When the burn causes the skin to look leathery
- When the burn covers a large area of the body, such as the whole hand
- When the burned area starts to look brown, black or white
- If the affected area is extremely painful to the touch
If the burned person is experiencing one or more of these signs, then take them to a hospital immediately for treatment. Treating burns correctly depends on the severity of the burn. For less severe burns, doctors will usually prescribe medication or ointment to help with the pain and speed up the healing process. For more severe burns, doctors will typically dress the wound to prevent infection and help it heal.
How Can I Avoid Accidentally Touching Weld Puddles?
The best way to avoid injuries caused by weld puddles and splatters is to wear the proper equipment. For example, welding gloves, coveralls, and helmets are extremely effective at keeping you safe from both weld splatters and puddles.
Welding helmets are designed to help keep your face safe from the sparks of a blow torch, but they are also very effective at protecting your face and eyes from weld splatters. The thermoplastic material is highly heat resistant, so weld splatters won’t be able to melt through the material and cause facial injuries.
Furthermore, welding gloves are made from multiple layers of highly durable leather. The heavy-duty material will prevent your hands from making direct contact with the weld puddle or splatters, thus lessening the chances of getting a burn.
Lastly, welding coveralls are the best thing to wear for full-body protection while welding. They are made from fire-resistant fabrics to help prevent you from getting burned or receiving other injuries. These pieces of equipment are very helpful in protecting the areas most susceptible to injury while welding. But they cannot protect unprotected skin, so it’s important to make sure any dangerous materials stay away from those unprotected areas.
What Causes a Weld Puddle?
Weld puddles are pools of molten metal that appear while the weld is being made. They can also sometimes appear in splatters during the welding process. Even though weld puddles are dangerous, they are also an essential part of welding something properly. There are ways to make good welding puddles and bad welding puddles.
Good welding puddles can help you get a better look at the weld you are making. The reflection from the metal will help you see if the weld is merging together or not, ensuring the weld is made properly. To make a good welding puddle, make sure you weld slowly. Taking your time will let the metal melt gradually, slowing down the process of a puddle appearing.
Bad welding puddles will appear too quickly or splatter all over the place, making your weld look messy or weak. Welding too fast can cause a bad welding puddle to appear in a short amount of time. The faster you weld, the faster that puddle will grow, and the more splatter will come out of it. While you can’t avoid making welding puddles, there are ways to use them to your advantage and make them safer overall.
Final Thoughts
Weld puddles and splatters will appear no matter how careful you are when welding. Fortunately, there are safety precautions you can take beforehand to lessen the chances of someone getting severely burned while welding.
And while welding puddles can be a beneficial tool when welding, they are also extremely dangerous and should be handled cautiously. As long as the above safety measures are taken to prevent or treat burn injuries, then welding with weld puddles is safe.