One can never be too safe, especially when your work demands handling dangerous equipment. Professional welders deal in such hazardous environment that they can’t afford to overlook their safety protocol and that includes their attire and gears.
The welders not only have to protect themselves from the heat and sparks but also the UV radiation and infrared light that can affect your eyes and even cause permanent blindness. Thus using a helmet has become indispensable along with your gloves. The helmet should cover your eyes, face as well as neck should be part of your everyday gear.
But wearing a helmet need not be cumbersome any more. As with everything else, welding helmets have changed for better and in face you have so many options to choose from without affecting your safety or productivity. So can we get on to the tips to consider before buying a new welding helmet?
1. Choosing Conventional or Passive Helmets
There are still a few welders who wish to go old school, especially those that work on pipe welding, buy the conventional helmet with a glass and fixed shade. Of course the fixed shades works but you will have to remember you have to life the shade everytime you want to check the joint you are working on.
Yet if you are looking for an inexpensive safety equipment the passive welding helmets will work for you.
2. Preference to Auto Darkening Helmets
Helmets with Radnor auto darkening lens are becoming the norm of the days in terms of safer welding head gears. The main benefit of these lens are that they adjust the shade according to their activeness.
The LCDs change their shade quickly thus protecting the eyes at all times while avoiding the need and time spent to remove the shade repeatedly for inspections.
3. Size of the Helmet
Depending on the area of work one should consider the size of the helmet while buying. For example when you work in a large assembly area, you need to consider the need of your peripheral vision and larger helmet might help you for your safety.
4. Check the Number of Arc Sensors
While a lower number of sensors will still help you to automatically adjust the shade, the number of sensors will improve the speed with which the shade gets adjusted.
Generally the number of arc sensors will range from two to four and you may choose according to the need of your job.
5. Look for Comfort and Fit
Most welders have to wear their helmets day in and out so it is more important that the helmet is comfortable to wear and adjust easily.
You can even customize the helmet according to your personality and pick a color that you like, not just black anymore.
With the number of options of helmets available in the market, you can choose the helmet perfect for your face, fit, comfort, budget and especially the need based on your occupation and work environment. Choose wisely and stay safer at your work place.
About the Author: This is a guest post by Kumarpal Shah, a blogger at InsideTechno and helping people to choose better equipment for their businesses.
