Flash burns are a common occurrence in welding. Welder’s flash burn lasts for about 5-10 seconds and is created when a welder pours out an arc to remove material from a weld. When the welder removes the arc, metal particles fly off the weld and into the air, which can be very dangerous. In order to prevent this from happening, welders should remember that they must always keep their hand away from their face or eyes when welding.
What are Flash Burns?
Flash burn is a condition of the skin which is characterized by burning sensation and pain with redness and discoloration of the skin. The injured area gets swollen, turns red and shows irritation and sensitivity. In some cases, the injury may become ulcerated.
Welders are the people who use welding equipment to join different metals. This can be done by using a torch, a rod or an electrode. Welders’s flash burn is a skin injury caused by welding equipment and causes reddening of the skin as well as burning sensations.
What Causes Flash Burn?
Welders can get flash burns by touching their face or eyes during welding. Flash burn can also occur if a welder touches an object that is hot enough to cause it to burn through clothing or skin. The most common place to get flash burn is on the hand or arm, but it can also happen on other parts of the body. If a welder gets flash burn, they should remove their hand from their face as quickly as possible.
What are the symptoms of flash burn?
There are different symptoms of welders’s flash burn which occur due to the short circuit and high current. The body has to be in a certain condition to handle the heat of welding equipment. Some of the common symptoms are-
Burning sensation in the skin. This is mainly caused due to the high heat of welding process which causes irritation and burning sensation in your skin. The affected area turns red, swollen and shows inflammation. Irritation develops in your skin as well as all around your body. You may also have a fever, fatigue and cough at this time. You can also develop ulcers on your skin if left untreated.
Swelling of the affected area. This is mainly caused due to the high heat of welding process which causes inflammation and swelling in your skin.
There are different symptoms of welders’s flash burn which occur due to the short circuit and high current. The body has to be in a certain condition to handle the heat of welding equipment. Some of the common symptoms are-
Burning sensation in the skin. This is mainly caused due to the high heat of welding process which causes irritation and burning sensation in your skin. The affected area turns red, swollen and shows inflammation. Irritation develops in your skin as well as all around your body. You may also have a fever, fatigue and cough at this time. You can also develop ulcers on your skin if left untreated.
Swelling of the affected area. This is mainly caused due to the high heat of welding process which causes inflammation and swelling in your skin.
How Long Does Flash Burn Last?
Welders may experience a burn on their arm when removing an arc that lasted for about 10 seconds and caused a small amount of pain. Most often, the pain will fade away after 1 to 2 days. Welder’s flash burn is “a common occupational injury associated with welding.” It has also been reported that “welder’s flash burn is an occupational hazard for welders who work with metals and other substances that produce flashes of bright light when heated”.
Preventing Flash Burn
If a welder is exposed to flash burn, they can prevent it from happening by keeping their hand away from their face and eyes during welding. When a welder removes the arc, they should always move their hand away from their face as quickly as possible to prevent the flash burn from happening. Welders should also keep their hands away from hot surfaces that may cause flash burn such as metal, glass and some plastics. Keeping these objects out of reach will decrease the chance of getting a flash burn. Welders should also avoid touching other hot surfaces when welding. If a welder does get flash burn, they can remove it by using an alcohol wipe or wet towel to remove the burned area.
Flash burns typically lasts around 5-10 seconds and causes a small amount of pain. If a welder gets flash burn and feels pain, they should immediately remove their hand from their face and call the emergency medical service. Welders who experience flash burn should also seek medical attention regardless of whether or not they have any pain.
Welders who are exposed to flash burn can help prevent flash burns from happening by following all safety precautions outlined here. Welders should also carry an emergency kit in their vehicle in case they are injured during welding.
What are the treatments?
There are various treatments for making the skin heal quickly. The most common treatment used is application of aloe vera gel. You just need to apply the gel on the wound and squeeze its juice. You should do this for at least an hour after which you can wash the wound with water to remove excess of the gel.
Another method of treating flash burn is applying cold compress on it for some time. This will help to decrease the swelling and irritation, which will help to heal faster. Cold compress will also reduce pain and increase blood circulation in the injured area.
Conclusion
Flash burns lasts typically for 1 to 2 days. They are generally caused by the heat generated by the electrical equipment. You might experience pain, redness and swelling as well as itching in the area that is damaged by flash burn.
You should take precautions to avoid flash burns in your welding work. This will help to prevent the skin injury and get rid of the skin problem.
