To Serve And Protect: Welding Safety Gear

Welding has always been a somewhat dangerous task, with the open flame, flying sparks and the use of potentially explosive gases. As such, it didn't take long for early welders to seek out gloves and other rudimentary safety equipment.

Recognition of the need for protective gear really gained momentum in the 1930s as factory production grew. Equipment makers began making goggles, face shields and other headgear to capitalize on the movement toward safety in industrial plants.

During World War II, companies began directing their efforts toward war manufacturing. With the workforce depleted as more men joined the armed forces, protecting those who remained in the factories became of utmost concern. New workers flocked to the factories to produce armaments for the war, and factory output increased. The need to outfit workers in protective spectacles, lenses and welding helmets became a necessity.

Following the war, manufacturers became more innovative with protective wear, as the first plastic welding helmet, fiberglass hardhat and safety cap were introduced in the 1950s. During the 1960s, adjustable temple spectacles and the first nylon welding helmet were unveiled.

In 1970, workplace safety really came to the forefront when President Richard Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Act laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), whose standards provide a baseline for safety and health protection in workplaces. Governmental regulation has continued to affect the industry in various ways. For example, the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) placed responsibility on manufacturers and suppliers to provide information on health risks of products they supply, and a 1994 OSHA rule required employers to pay for personal protective equipment.

Liquid crystal cells, polarizing filters and electronics were combined in 1976 to form the first prototype of an auto-darkening filter. Once the kinks were worked out, helmets with face shields containing these filters became available in the early 1980s. Since then, the technology has continued to be improved and perfected. These self-darkening shields protect wearers from exposure to high amounts of ultraviolet light.

As technology advances, so too will the industry's response to the dangers of welding. The heavy leather gloves, protective sleeves, self-darkening eye shields, and other protective gear of today may soon be a distant memory in the endeavor to protect workers in the industry.