Welding Fumes
The carcinogenicity of welding fumes was reassessed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2017 after the assessment of substantial new evidence accumulated from observational and experimental studies.
Welding fumes and UV radiation from welding were reclassified as “carcinogenic to humans”. This assessment includes mild steel, stainless steel and, for the absence of doubt, galvanized steel. More information is available in the Technical Guidance Note (TGN-SW01) available from Weld Australia. All welding operations should be designed to follow the Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice for Welding Processes (May 2018).
