Welding is not exactly the safest profession out there. As you know, there are commonplace hazards around the jobsite when you are working as a welder. What’s important is that you and everyone on your worksite do everything possible to mitigate the risks of those hazards.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) notes these common risks to welders:

• Third-degree burns
• Eye damage (blindness)
• Electrical shock
• Lacerations
• Breathing metal fumes
• Exposure to ultraviolet radiation

Out of all the potential injuries suffered by welders, burns caused by the open flame of a welding torch and the reactive sparks of the metal being worked are the most common. To reduce the risk of severe burn injuries, welders should be provided with adequate safety gear whenever they are on the jobsite.

Protective gear for welders can include:

• Welding masks
• Protective gloves
• Heat-resistant aprons
• Strong boots

If an employer does not provide protective gear for the welders who are hired or contracted on the jobsite, then it should require them to bring their own gear. Allowing a welder to begin work without protective equipment could be seen as a form of employer negligence if an injury happens due to the lack of that gear. Independently contracted welders who are hurt on the job might not have workers’ compensation, but they could still file a claim against their employers if that sort of negligence contributed to their injuries.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than half a million welders, brazers, solderers, and metal cutters are injured in workplace accidents each year. The cause of those accidents can vary, but many of them can be linked to momentary lapses in careful judgment. A simple mistake can cause a severe burn or laceration in an instant.

However, even if you were the sole cause of your welding injury, you don’t lose the right to workers’ compensation. As a no-fault insurance system, workers’ compensation can cover you, regardless of who or what caused your accident.

We are proud to be one of Chicago’s leading law firms for workers’ compensation claims filed by workers in all industries and professions, including welding. If you were performing welding work when a spark burned or blinded you – or any other sort of accident left you seriously injured – then we want to know about it.