Breathing in polluted air once may not seem harmful. You usually can’t see or smell how clean the air truly is. The actual health risk from inhaling welding fumes depends on three factors: how toxic the fumes are, how concentrated they are, and how long you’re exposed.
If you occasionally inhale welding fumes, you may experience:
Short-term effects of exposure to welding fumes: irritated airways, coughing, sore throat, stinging eyes or nose, itching, increased heart rate, slight rise in blood pressure, headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, or blurred vision.
As a welder, you may also inhale small amounts of welding fumes over a longer period. This can cause serious, chronic, and often irreversible damage to your health!
Long-term effects of exposure to welding fumes: chronic bronchitis and other respiratory diseases, reduced lung function, asthma, increased risk of lung cancer, inflamed mucous membranes, accelerated cognitive decline and Parkinson-like symptoms, higher risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack or stroke, and dementia…
Also note that welding fumes are toxic to your unborn baby if you are pregnant. People with respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD may experience more severe symptoms when inhaling welding fumes. Older welders or those with weakened health are especially vulnerable to welding fume exposure.