need advice

[metal gear solid]

hey everyone im new here.
ive been welding for about 3 years now and i really enjoy it, i mostly make frames, handling equipment, test rigs and a few other things sadly its all mig as i would love more experience with tig.

i did an apprenticehip through my work which i personaly funded because i wanted to gain a qualification, it was really bad though. the course was swamped with health and safety and i learnt very little about actual welding.

so i really enjoy welding but i have a problem with my current situation.
welding fumes.
we dont have an extraction system for the welding where i work, i have those disposable masks you get, the 3m ones but its not ideal really and im sceptical on how good they are.

i did bring the topic up with my boss but he kind of laughed it off telling me to "just open a door to let some air in".

so i feel kind of stuck. i dont want to have to create a lot of tension at work or quit but at the same time i dont want lung cancer.

has anyone here been in the same situation? as i need advice on how to sort this out.

cheers.

 

[rtbcomp]

An anonymous tip-off to the Health and Safety Executive should trigger a "random" visit.

Leave it while after you mentioned this to your boss otherwise he might link the visit to your complaint.

 

[metal gear solid]

An anonymous tip-off to the Health and Safety Executive should trigger a "random" visit.

Leave it while after you mentioned this to your boss otherwise he might link the visit to your complaint.

thanks for your help.
I have thought about doing this , I think part of the problem is a lot of the people at my work are a bit old school and don't believe in health and safety.

 

[rtbcomp]

If it's a business they've got to start believing in it or you could get closed down.

 

[SiPMerlin150]

thanks for your help.
I have thought about doing this , I think part of the problem is a lot of the people at my work are a bit old school and don't believe in health and safety.

A lot of privately owned business are like this, i work at a garage and when i welded a patch on the sill of a car, they all were sniggering at the fact that i donned a jacket, gauntlets and face visor before i began welding..

The rest of the lads weld with bare hands, no face protection, they just scew their eye lids up and look away when they pull the trigger on the mig torch..

heck they even use the grinder with nothing like breathing masks nor proper eye protection.

I said to them ' I'm young and would like the full use of my lungs, and vision, and health right up until i retire and beyond, not until i'm your age!'

kind of shut them up, especially when i reminded them about a lad using a magnet on his eye ball trying to remove a metal shard...


Stay safe mate, always!

 

[jonnyBMX]

maybe rather then the 3m disposable masks, either get ur boss to get some extraction? or even an airfed welding mask! i have a 3m 7500 series half mask with replaceble filters which can fit under the masks,