What Is a Welding Curtain and Why Is It Important?

Because they are designed to melt metal, welding arcs can get very hot. Some of them, in fact, can produce heat in excess of 15,000 degrees Fahrenheit. To protect against injury, professional welders often use a welding curtain. It's a relatively simple item that can protect workers from serious injury. To learn more about welding curtains and why they are important, keep reading.

Overview of Welding Curtains

A welding curtain is one or more pieces of heat-resistant material that's designed to create a barrier around the workspace where welding is being performed. They are assembled around a welding work area. Once assembled, a professional welder can enter the welding curtain to begin working.

The Importance of Using a Welding Curtain

Using a welding curtain can lower the risk of injury. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), roughly a half-million workers in the United States are injured each year during a welding-related accident. It's not just professional welders who sustain injuries, though. Injuries can occur to other workers around these welding areas.

A welding curtain can lower the risk of injury to nearby workers by shielding them from welding arcs. Welding arcs obviously produce a lot of heat, so there's an inherent risk of burn injuries if bystanders are exposed to them. But it's not just the heat of a welding arc that cause injury. Welding arcs produce powerful ultraviolet (UV) light, which can injure a bystander's eyes if he or she isn't wearing the appropriate eye protection. Welding curtains are designed to block UV light so that bystanders are protected from potential eye injury.

Welding curtains also protect bystanders from harmful fumes. Welding arcs can produce harmful fumes that, if inhaled, can increase the risk of respiratory disease. With a welding curtain, bystanders won't be directly exposed to these fumes.

How to Choose a Welding Curtain

While all welding curtains are designed to create a barrier around a welding area, there are different types of welding curtains. Some of them are a solid color, for example, whereas others are semi-transparent color. With semi-transparency, you can see through the welding curtain. If you're working inside a semi-transparent welding curtain, you'll be able to see other workers outside of the curtain.

You should also consider the size when choosing a welding curtain. Welding curtains are available in a variety of sizes. Some welding curtains are designed to accommodate a large work area, whereas others are smaller and more limited in their applications.