Posted By Paul Leadbetter Alan What are the soft metals to which you refer? Zinc coatings can give rise to metal fume fever if the fume is not controlled adequately. Paul

Posted By John Packer Is it possible to ask the suppliers to supply the parts unplated? I know I've been asked for unplated parts in a previous role for exactly this reason.

Posted By John Packer Is it a fitting or stock? If its a fitting you should be able to get it supplied unplated.

Posted By AJM Cheers John, Paul Just to give better understanding its repair welding to lots of cage type baskets that store and tranpost milk.

Posted By Flic AJM Thanks for clarifying what the underlying metal was. I would not have described steel as a soft metal, which is why the curiosity! As Paul states, the mild steel fume does need control; it is not difficult to do this adequately and it is not normally a problem. However, the need to control the zinc fume is the key feature. The baskets are likely to have a relatively high ratio of zinc to steel - similar to galvanised sheet. I would therefore collect some of the fume from the extraction system and test to see whether it burns, and whether, when made damp (not wet) it smoulders over a period of hours. Either of these signs should lead you to take further measures to remove the fume at extremely regular intervals and render it safe. I once visited a factory that was welding galvanised sheet that had suffered 10 fires in 12 months. My investigations identified that the zinc fume was the cause. Flic