Quick question: What are the requirements for long term health surveillance and monitoring for welding operatives? Have checked the H&S Executive and it doesn't really seem to prescribe anything specific. Links between illnesses (pneaumonia. asthma) are unproven / uncertain for welders.

Interested to learn feedback from anyone in the know or with experience of welding and associated risk management.

I would agree with lung function checks.

I would also suggest considering hearing checks, as many (but not all) welding environments can be quite noisy.

Additional things to watch out for depend on the materials being welded. What materials are being welded, and with what weld metals? What welding processes?

Advice so far spot on, and agree the real answer is it depends....

Following HSE guidance may help

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg61.pdf

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/p46.pdf
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/p45.pdf

http://www.hse.gov.uk/printing/basics.htm

OK I know you're talking about welding not printing, but the HSE did a range of CoSHH information for the printing industry that gave some good info that was transferable to other sectors.

http://www.cbhscheme.com/Publications

There is some information on the Construction Better Health site that may be of use to you...

Jeez. Some of you have money to burn. Health surveillance for noise, skin and hearing.

How about a bit more pragmatic approach and first of all look at what's being welded and how it's being welded (mild steel or stainless steel for example). How often welding takes place. 15 minutes a day or 8 hours a day. Whether there is adequate ventillation and / or extration etc. That is I believe the point of a COSHH assessment. If necessary then carry out air monitoring to see what the exposure is. That would be far more effective and cost effective than carrying out health surveillance just for the sake of it.

Health surveillance just monitors the effectiveness of controls. That's why few things have a blanket requirement for health surveillance (though some do).

I certainly wouldn't advocate the need for health surveillance for ad hoc welding of mild steel in a well ventillated workshop (for example).

Our welders who weld in a welding bay with full extraction (but not RPE) are subject to blood tests annually to check for heavy metals but particularly for manganese as this is a large component of the alloys that we weld with. This is the alternative to respirators and favoured by our employees - their choice. Should the blood tests show a rise in manganese build up in the blood or any other anomalies then they know that we will go to the airfed breathing apparatus option.

We have had personal air monitoring carried out and monitoring of our extraction units as well. Metal fume fever, manganism and exposure to Chromium VI are all possibilities with our welding so we don't take chances. We weld in 8 hour shifts.

Many of the posters here are spot on, and offer good advice.

I'm also surprised that no one has mentioned vibration.

Welders are not infallable, and make mistakes like everyone else, parts welded incorrectly, back-grinding, spatter removal etc.

HAVS assessments are important too, and employees should also be made aware on what to do when (and if) the recognised symptoms occur.

Probably no real requirement of sporadic welding operations, however more of a need in Engineering Fabrication shops where 8hour days plus overtime are common.

Again, all dependant on the risk assessment findings.