Can you look at welding?

The short answer is yes, you can look at welding light if you are using suitable personal protection equipment as used by professional welders. You can look at welding if you are very far away 50 meters or more in strong daylight and 200 meters or more at night. You can look safely at welding if it is shown on TV or video monitor including PC.

If you are looking for the answer to such a question as “Can you look at welding?” you must realise that this question is from the same kind of questions as can you jump out of a plane without a parachute? can you survive a lightning strike?

Technically the answer is yes, however, are you comfortable with the safety record?

One must have a minimum basic knowledge to form an informed decision or draw up any conclusions other ways those conclusions are as good as delusions and can lead to a very hazardous situation regardless if it is welding-related or jumping out of the plane. One of the major hazards that are produced during the welding process is UV radiation.

First of all, let’s look at what UV radiation really is.

UV radiation is e light, o be more precise I is a segment of a light spectrum that is emitted or radiated by stars or during the electric arc. Little more detail on it wavelength and where it lands in the whole spectrum can be found in this video here.

UV radiation is harmful to biological cells and has been linked with cancer. For many years we learned how to use the harmful nature of UV light, to sanitise the air in the food production facilities, fruit juices, and even operating theatres in the hospitals. The effect of UV light on human cells explained really well in this video.

UV protection with sunscreens can be used to protect your self against UV radiation when welding in tight spaces or welding Aluminium inside of the boat or boat wheelhouse as aluminium is extremely reflective and due to its high heat conductive properties Aluminium welding requires a lot of power during the welding process and the more power in the ark the more UV it will produce.

Here is some more information on how various materials are absorbing UV light radiation.