Welding PPE Explained: Protecting Your Lungs, Eyes and Skin
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Welding PPE Explained: Protecting Your Lungs, Eyes and Skin
Welding puts two invisible things to work against your body at once ā the fume you breathe and the intense light coming off the arc or beam. Good PPE is simply what stands between you and both, and choosing the right gear matters more than most people realise.
Welding fume isn't just unpleasant. Long-term exposure is linked to serious lung disease, which is why the national workplace exposure limit for it was cut significantly at the start of 2024. Here's a plain-English guide to the gear that protects you, and how to pick well.
Respiratory: The Gear That Protects Your Lungs
Welding fume is a mix of very fine particles, and what's in it depends on what you're welding. Stainless steel is the one to take seriously ā its fume carries metals like chromium and nickel that are more harmful than the fume from plain mild steel. Whatever you're running, the goal is the same: keep the fume out of your breathing zone.
Your options, roughly in order of protection and comfort:
- Disposable or half-mask respirators ā fine for lighter, occasional work. Look for a P2 rating. (In Australia the classes are P1, P2 and P3 ā a "P100" mark you'll see on some imported gear is a US rating, not the local one.)
- Full-face respirators ā a better seal, and they protect your eyes from fume too.
- Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) ā the comfortable upgrade for heavy, hot or stainless work. A small fan feeds filtered air in under gentle pressure, so it's easier to breathe through over a full shift, works even if you can't be clean-shaven, and fits neatly with a welding helmet. If you weld a lot, this is the one people tend to wish they'd bought sooner.
Whatever you choose, look for the AS/NZS 1716 mark ā that's the Australian/New Zealand standard for respirators, and it's the simplest thing to check on the box.
Eyes and Face: And Why Laser Is Different
MIG, TIG, stick. The hazard is intense UV and visible light off the arc. A properly shaded welding helmet handles it ā just match the shade to the job and check for the AS/NZS mark.
A completely different hazard. No welding shade, however dark, stops laser light. You need eyewear rated for the laser's wavelength ā and you wear it as well as a welding shade, not instead of.
Laser is where people get caught out, so it's worth remembering a few things that make it sneaky:
- The beam can bounce off surrounding surfaces, so you don't have to be looking straight at it to be at risk.
- A surface that looks dull can still reflect a surprising amount of laser energy.
- Most hand-held laser beams are invisible, so there's no blink reflex to warn you ā you won't feel it happening.
If laser welding is on your radar, treat eye protection as a specialist purchase, not a hand-me-down from your arc setup.
The Rest of the Kit
- Gloves and clothing ā standard welding gloves and leathers handle heat and sparks well. For laser work, step up to flame-resistant clothing that covers exposed skin, and keep your hands out of the beam path rather than relying on glove material.
- Hearing, foot and hi-vis ā grinding, cutting and a busy workshop floor mean the usual ear, foot and visibility protection still belong on the list.
PPE Is the Last Layer, Not the First
One thing worth being clear about: PPE is the last line of defence, not the first. The higher-level controls do most of the heavy lifting ā enclosing the process (for laser welding, a fully enclosed, interlocked booth), screens and shields, good natural ventilation, on-tool extraction, and local exhaust ventilation (LEV) that captures fume right at the source. Respirators and eyewear are there to complement those controls and cover what they can't fully capture. They don't replace them.
This is the employer's responsibility. Across Australia, the primary duty falls on the employer to eliminate or reduce risks so far as is reasonably practicable, and that rests on a proper risk assessment covering welding and the other tasks in the workplace. Getting that groundwork right is how employers meet their wider legal obligations ā PPE complements it, it doesn't substitute for it. If the higher-level controls aren't in place, the gear on this page is only doing part of the job.
How to Choose Well
- Match the gear to the job, not just the trade ā stainless and laser work ask for more than light mild-steel tacking.
- Look for the AS/NZS mark on the box ā it's the quickest quality check.
- Replace worn or damaged gear; a scratched lens or a clogged filter isn't doing its job.
- If you're not sure, get fitted and ask ā the right size and seal matter as much as the rating.
Not sure what your setup needs?
Browse our respiratory and eye protection, or get in touch ā we're happy to help you match the gear to the work.
This is general information to help you choose PPE ā it isn't a substitute for a workplace risk assessment or professional safety advice, and every site is different. If you're setting up or reviewing controls for welding, it's worth getting a professional assessment for your specific situation.