UK national regulator the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released a safety alert highlighting new scientific evidence from the International Agency for Research on Cancer suggesting that exposure to all welding fumes causes lung and kidney cancer.
Following the findings, the Workplace Health Expert Committee has endorsed the reclassification of mild steel welding fume as a human carcinogen.
According to the HSE, at present, general ventilation does not achieve the necessary control. HSE is therefore set to strengthen its enforcement expectation on all welding fume, including mild steel welding.
The legislation, which changed yesterday (18th Feb), will impact all workers, employers, contractors’ and anyone else undertaking welding activities, across every industry.
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