Investigation on exposure to UV radiation among welders and cutters

Objective The UV radiation levels were measured while the workers engaged in the welding and cutting to understand the exposure levels of these workers. Methods The workers engaged manually in electric arc welding,gas shielded welding,plasma flame cutting and gas cutting were studied. The UV radiation levels around their eye areas were measured by the use of the detector with three probes at 254,290 and 365 nm band when they operated machines. Results The cutters had higher exposure,the highest value 36.24 μW/cm² was noted for the workers operated the gas cutting machine and 16.40 μW/cm² for the workers operated plasma flame cutting machine. Conclusion The ultraviolet-proof masks should be used to protect workers' eyes. The regular physical examination should be done for these workers,specifically eye examination.