Welder Safety Kit

Features & Benefits

# Welding - Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing ## **On this page** - [What type of PPE is available when welding?](https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/safety_haz/welding/ppe.html#section-1-hdr) - [Can you wear contact lenses when welding?](https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/safety_haz/welding/ppe.html#section-7-hdr) | Welding - Personal Protective Equipment | |-| | Body Part | Equipment | Illustration | Reason | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Eyes and face | Welding helmet, hand shield, and goggles (or safety glasses with side shields) |  | Protects from:<br>- radiation<br>- flying particles, debris<br>- hot slag, sparks<br>- intense light<br>- irritation and chemical burns<br>Wear flame resistant head coverings under the helmet where appropriate | | Lungs (breathing) | Respirators |  | Protects against:<br>- fumes, vapours, and oxides | | Exposed skin (other than feet, hands, and head) | Flame resistant clothing and aprons |  | Protects against:<br>- heat, fires<br>- burns<br>- radiation<br>Notes: pants should not have cuffs, shirts should have flaps over pockets or be taped closed | | Ears - hearing | Ear muffs, ear plugs |  | Protects against:<br>- noise<br>Use flame resistant ear muffs where sparks or splatter may enter the ear, rather than plugs. | | Feet and hands | Electric-shock and flame-resistant boots, flame-resistent gauntlet gloves |  | Protects against:<br>- electric shock<br>- heat<br>- burns<br>- fires<br>- metatarsal protection (protection from falling objects) where needed | The various types of eye protection are broken down into classes in the CSA standard Z94.3-20 "Eye and face protectors”. Eye and face protectors should have distinctive markings to identify the manufacturer and their class. - Helmet shell - must be opaque to light (not let light through) and resistant to impact, heat and electricity. - The outer cover plate is made of polycarbonate plastic, which protects against radiation, impact, and scratches. - A filter lens made of glass containing a filler, which reduces the amount of light passing through to the eyes. Filters are available in different shade numbers ranging from 2 to 14. The higher the number, the darker the filter and the less light passes through the lens. - A clear retainer lens made of plastic prevents any broken pieces of the filter lens from reaching the eye. - A gasket made of heat-insulating material between the cover lens and the filter lens protects the lens from sudden heat changes, which could cause it to break. In some models, the heat insulation is provided by the frame mount instead of a separate gasket. - Keep clothing clean and free of oils, greases and combustible contaminants. - Tape shirt pockets closed to keep sparks or hot metal from entering, or keep them covered with flaps. - Pant legs must not have cuffs. Cuffs can collect sparks. - Pants must cover over the tops of the boots. - Wear high-top boots fully laced to prevent sparks from entering into the boots. - Use flame-resistant boot protectors or spats strapped around the pant legs and boot tops to prevent sparks from bouncing in the top of the boots. - Remove all ignition sources such as matches and butane lighters from pockets. Hot welding sparks may light the matches or ignite leaking lighter fuel. - Wear gauntlet-type cuff leather gloves or protective sleeves of similar material to protect wrists and forearms. Leather is a good electrical insulator if kept dry. - Using a shield can help keep any spark spray away from your clothing. **DO NOT** - Fact sheet last revised: 2025-10-15

Technical Specifications