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Tool Box Talk: How Does Welder's Flash Happen?

Welder's flash, also known as arc eye or photokeratitis, is an inflammation of the eye caused by exposure to ultraviolet light from welding arcs. Symptoms include pain, tearing, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision. To treat it, close the affected eye and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. Use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication and see a doctor immediately if symptoms are severe or vision is blurred. Prevention involves always wearing appropriate eye protection like safety glasses or a welding helmet with the proper shade lens when welding or working near welding operations.

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Sandeep Nair
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59 views1 page

Tool Box Talk: How Does Welder's Flash Happen?

Welder's flash, also known as arc eye or photokeratitis, is an inflammation of the eye caused by exposure to ultraviolet light from welding arcs. Symptoms include pain, tearing, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision. To treat it, close the affected eye and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. Use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication and see a doctor immediately if symptoms are severe or vision is blurred. Prevention involves always wearing appropriate eye protection like safety glasses or a welding helmet with the proper shade lens when welding or working near welding operations.

Uploaded by

Sandeep Nair
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tool Box Talk

AUGUST 2014

How Does Welder’s Flash Happen? 2. Place gauze pads in cold water. Wring out excess water and find a
comfortable spot to lie back. Place the cold gauze pads over the eye
Photokeratitis, (welder’s flash, arc flash, arc eye, flash burn), is one of and keep them in place until they are warm. Repeat the process if
the many hazards associated with welding. It is caused by the ultraviolet you are still experiencing pain or swelling. You can also boil a tea bag
(UV) light produced by the welding arc. What happens is the UV light for two minutes, then place in the refrigerator to cool. Remove the
causes a very painful inflammation of the mucous membrane in the front cool tea bags from the water, wring out, and place over the eye as
of the eye. It is a lot like getting a sunburn, only in your eye. you would the gauze pad.

Since it is caused by UV light, it is not just a welding problem. The sun, 3. Place an eye patch over your affected eye to protect it during sleep.
very bright lights/lamps, lightning or a cutting torch or plasma cutter can Take a dry gauze pad and fold it into a square, and place that over
cause arc flash. Basically, any bright source of light that has an your eye. Cover the gauze pad with the eye patch. This will keep a bit
ultraviolet component can cause welding flash. This is true for direct of extra pressure on the eyelid to help keep it closed.
exposure to UV radiation as well as radiation that is reflected from metal
surfaces, walls, and ceilings. 4. Wear dark sunglasses with UV protection when being exposed to
sunlight or bright light. Bright light strain can delay healing in an eye
with flash burn, as well as cause additional pain. Even if you have the
Symptoms of Welder’s Flash affected eye shut, strain on your good eye can cause strain on the
affected eye. If possible rest in a dark room.
The symptoms of welder’s flash include:
5. Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory to relieve the pain and
■ Pain ranging from a mild feeling of eye pressure to intense pain
swelling associated with the welder's flash burn. Ibuprofen, aspirin or
in severe instances; naproxen are all choices that will temporarily reduce pain.
■ Tearing/reddening of the eye and membranes around the eye;
6. See a physician immediately. If the pain is severe or your vision is
■ sensation of "sand in the eye" making it painful to blink or ab- blurred, both of these symptoms can be indicative of a more serious
normal sensitivity to light; flash burn that requires immediate medical attention. It is important to
■ inability to look at light sources, extreme sensitivity to light; see a physician regardless of severity with any eye injury to ensure
the proper diagnosis. What feels like a minor case of welders flash
■ blurred vision and excessive tearing; and
may actually be a foreign body in the eye. Once a doctor has
■ temporary blindness. inspected the eye he may give you eye drops to relieve the pain.

Protecting Yourself from Welder’s Flash


The amount of time required to cause these symptoms depends on
several factors such as the intensity of the radiation, the distance from People in the vicinity of welding operations can be protected from
the welding arc, the angle at which the radiation enters the eye and the exposure to welding arcs by the use of screens, curtains, etc. Flash
type of eye protection that the worker or bystander is using. It is burn is not always caused by looking directly at the light source. It is
important to note, exposure to just a few seconds of intense UV light very common that UV light will enter the eye from the side or be
can cause arc eye and these symptoms may not be felt until several reflected while looking away from the source.
hours after exposure.
One of the best ways to prevent welder’s flash is to always wear your
Treating Welder's Flash safety glasses. They provide some extra protection against welding
flash. This is especially important if you’re working around people that
1. Remove contact lenses if possible, after washing hands thoroughly are welding even when you are not. Another option is to wear an
as to not contaminate the eye. Close your eye. The most important approved welding helmet with the correct shade of lens for whichever
thing you need to do if you have suffered from welder's flash is to welding or cutting process that you are performing.
close the affected eye and let it rest. Keeping it closed will also
protect it from further damage and prevent bacteria from entering the OHS Regulations Section 93 (3) & 93 (4) addresses protection of
eye. workers that are exposed to welding operations in the workplace.

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