In the United States, almost all quality welding lenses include a UV light filter that blocks 100 percent of the UV light radiation.
Welding goggles shade 14 home depot professional#
What is not understood by many people, even professional welders who have been in the trade for years, is that the shade numbers bear no relationship to the protection from UV and other radiation to your eyes.
However, there is a lot of confusion about what shade numbers mean in relation to safety and the protection the lens affords for your eyes. With the increase of Amperage, you should also have to increase the shade of the welding lens, the higher the number the darker the shade will be. What shade is safe for welding? Many experts or professionals recommend a shade number between 9 to 13 as a good and safe number. In short, these break down as: Type of Welding Shade Numbers Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) 7 – 14 Gas Welding 4 – 8 Oxygen Cutting 3 – 6 Gas Metal Welding 7 14 Plasma Arc Cutting 8 – 14 Torch Brazing 3 – 4 Carbon Arc Welding 14įor a more in-depth look at the OSHA recommendations for shade number selection for specific forms of welding, visit the OSHA website at this link. How dark should a welding helmet be? well, OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has a set of guidelines for choosing the shade of welding lens that is appropriate for different types of welding activities. The shade numbers vary from 3 to 14 which the darker. The bright light from an arc or a cutting torch can result in temporary blindness and rapid eye fatigue. Exposure to an intensely bright welding arch with no lens protection can quickly overwhelm the eye’s ability to react to prevent the light from reaching the retina. The visible spectrum of light causes the least damage to the eye. Infrared radiation transfers heat to the lens of the eye, which can cause cataracts over the long term.
Arc eye is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eye and can be a serious issue.īefore you continue reading, here is an article we wrote about eye arc and the symptoms.Ĭutting is not so much a problem with UV exposure as it is the infrared radiation that can harm your eyes. If you have ever suffered from an “Arc eye,” you understand the discomfort this condition can cause. UV-C – IV-C is the shortest of the UV wavelengths and is also absorbed by the cornea.The cornea absorbs most of this wavelength of UV light UV-B – UV light with wavelengths that falls in the middle of the UV light range.UV-A – The longest wavelength of UV light passes through the cornea and is absorbed by the lens of your eye.The wavelength of the light denotes these categories. Ultraviolet light – UV light radiation breaks into three classifications or categories.There are several dangers from the light that is produced by a welding arc. In general, the shade number categories associated with welding lenses denote the type of welding or cutting for which the number is appropriate.Įlectric arc welding in its many forms and methods is probably the best-known function in the shop that requires special protection from the light produced when the welding begins. Most of these jobs involve processes that necessitate high heat. Any job that produces a high level of UV intense light calls for wearing a welding hood or goggles to protect your eyes from the UV exposure.
There are many jobs in the shop requiring eye protection. Read Next Different Jobs Different Numbers.How do I choose an auto darkening welding helmet?.