AIHce Indianapolis

Evaluations

Education

RT 221
Welding Exposure Assessments and Exposure Database Design

Tuesday | 1:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. |

Topics:
Construction Sites/Industry, Exposure Assessment Strategies

Arranger: A. Siert, Xcel Energy, Denver, CO. Moderator: J. Spear, J.E. Spear Consulting, LP, Magnolia, TX. Monitors: F. Anderson, Zachry Industrial, Inc., San Antonio, TX; B. Stott, AMEC, Calgary, ON, Canada.

Welding is among the most important and utilized industrial processes, and welders comprise one of the largest working populations. Welders experience higher rates of lung disease and cancer, yet the importance of specific air contaminants are not well understood. Epidemiologic studies have yielded equivocal results due to confounders and lack of exposure information. There is a need for exposure assessments to multiple fume components by process and material, but they must be designed to also quantify other predictor variables. There are current efforts under way to construct welding exposure databases, yet previous efforts are of very limited value due to quality and comparability problems. For exposure information to be useful and comparable, exposures and variables should be collected and recorded in a uniform fashion.

  • Flux-Cored Arc Welding Exposures in Electric Power Generation and Fume Components. A. Siert, Xcel Energy, Denver, CO.
  • Thermal Cutting Exposures in Electric Power Generation and Fume Components. S. Woods, Xcel Energy, Denver, CO.
  • Comparison of Welding Exposures Simultaneously Collected Inside the Hood vs. on the Collar, and Does Sample Placement Matter? D. Dechant, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.
  • Harmonizing Welding Fume Data Collection. M. Harris, Hamlin & Harris, Inc., Baton Rouge, LA.
  • Development of a Multi-Metals Welding Fume Database. J. Hicks, Exponent, Oakland, CA.
  • Development of Semiempirical Relationship Between Fume Exposure and Welding-Related Parameters Using Fraction Factorial Design. A. Abelmann, ChemRisk, LLC, Chicago, IL.
  • Particle Size Distributions of Welding Fume Measured in the Breathing Zone and in an Emission Chamber. J. Breskey, University of California, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA.