Welding curtains are free-standing barriers that can be used to shield workers and equipment from common welding hazards like sparks. Most often, welding curtains are used in welding environments, though they can also be used in manufacturing plants, construction sites, and more. At Singer Safety, our welding curtains are portable and made from the highest quality materials, meaning you can easily move them around as your needs change.
In this article, we’ll discuss what welding curtains are made of, when welding curtains are needed, and the benefits of welding screens.
When are Welding Curtains Needed?
There are many instances when welding curtains are needed. Most commonly, they’re used when there are welding-related hazards that could possibly hurt nearby workers or equipment, or to comply with safety regulations. Generally speaking, welding curtains create a barrier between dangerous tasks and the rest of the workspace to make it safer.
Though welding curtains are most often needed in welding shops, there are many industries that can benefit from these screens. Here, we cover a few of the main settings where they can be used.
Welding Shops
Workers use screens in welding environments to shield those nearby from sparks, UV radiation, and the heat that’s created during welding.
Manufacturing Facilities
Manufacturing facilities can use welding curtains to protect workers from debris. Additionally, manufacturing facilities sometimes use welding, and these screens can play a role in making it safe.
Laboratories and Chemical Plants
Exposure to toxic substances poses many health risks to workers, including lung irritation and skin burns. Welding screens can protect workers in these settings.
Construction Sites
Construction sites are inherently dangerous, but welding screens can create a safe zone to separate work areas from other parts of the site. This can improve safety.
Automotive Repair Shops
In car repair shops, welding curtains can help protect workers from grinding sparks, chemicals, and dangers from tools and machines.
What are the Benefits of Welding Screens?
Welding screens come with many benefits. They’re designed to protect workers from welding hazards like sparks, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and intense light. Here, we cover these as well as a few additional benefits of welding screens.
Protection from UV and IR Radiation
Welding generates UV and infrared (IR) radiation, which can cause eye injuries like “welder’s flash” and skin burns. Welding screens create a barrier to harmful radiation, which can protect both the welder and nearby workers from exposure.
Spark and Spatter Containment
Welding produces sparks and molten metal spatter that can travel across a room. Welding screens hold these sparks in, lowering the risk of fire or injury and helping to keep nearby workers safe.
Better Visibility
The intense light produced by welding can be a distraction for other workers in the area. Welding screens minimize this bright glare, allowing other employees to focus on their own work.
Improved Welding Environment Safety Compliance
Using welding screens helps companies comply with safety standards set by organizations like OSHA, which mandate protective measures in welding environments.
Better Productivity
By creating a contained area for welding, screens allow welders to focus on their work without worrying about hurting others. This leads to better productivity since it reduces interruptions and also allows nearby workers to focus on their own tasks.
Noise Reduction
Welding screens can provide some degree of sound dampening, which minimizes the loud noises associated with welding operations.
Flexibility
Welding screens are available in many sizes and styles, including portable screens that can be moved around as needed. This flexibility means you can use them in different areas or rearrange them based on your work layout.
What are Welding Curtains Made Of?
Not all welding curtains are made the same, and the benefits of welding screens can vary depending on whether they’re made from high-quality materials or if they’re constructed from something cheaper.
The most effective welding screens should be made of flame-resistant material, have two layers, and be reinforced with something like galvanized wire mesh. Flame-resistant materials are important because they help prevent ignition and reduce the spread of fire. The two-layer construction improves the screen’s ability to hold up against dangerous conditions without tearing or warping. Finally, galvanized wire mesh gives the screens a stronger framework and helps prevent corrosion over time.
At Singer Safety, we offer safety screens with these three important features. Our screens are an ideal choice for your welding screen needs.
What Happens if You Use Low-Quality Welding Screens?
Based on recent US data, preventable workplace injuries are on the rise, and low-quality welding screens are part of the problem. Unlike top-of-the-line welding curtains, screens that are poorly constructed or made from cheap materials may fail to block hazards like welding sparks, UV radiation, or heat. This means workers could be exposed to burns, eye damage, respiratory problems, and other health issues associated with welding, defeating the purpose of using the screen in the first place.
Safety screens made from low-grade materials often have subpar flame resistance, meaning they could catch fire when there is heat, welding, or sparks. A screen that catches fire easily can spread flames, putting workers in danger. Additionally, poor-quality screens may not be able to hold up against impacts, vibrations, or other similar stresses, making them more likely to tear or fall over. This hurts the barrier’s effectiveness and leaves employees vulnerable to accidents.
Finally, low-quality screens are less durable and may need more frequent replacements, meaning a higher overall cost over time.
Learn about Singer Safety’s Welding Curtains
At Singer Safety, we offer high-quality welding screens that give you portable protection in welding environments as well as many other industrial settings. Our screens are flame-resistant and are manufactured with two layers of material reinforced with 14-gauge galvanized wire mesh, making them some of the best screens on the market. They have a wide range of uses to help you improve safety.
Ready to purchase a welding curtain? Our staff can help you determine which welding screens will work best for your facility. To learn more, contact us today.
