FACTS

The pipe welding process has dangers resulting in the following risks:

1. Fire and explosions (as illustrated above)
2. Airborne contaminants
3. Radiation
4. Electrical risks
5. Burns and exposure to heat
6. Eye damage
7. Compressed and liquefied gases
8. Noise
9. Lead
10. Confined spaces
11. Ventilation
    

STATS

• Industrial Safety & Hygiene News reports that 1 in 250 construction workers will die from a welding injury. With over half a million American welders working today, we can conservatively expect 2,000 welding fatalities in our lifetime. 
• The risks associated with workplace operations that include welding, cutting, and brazing result in the deaths of approximately 60 workers each year in the United States alone. This number translates to a risk of greater than four fatal injuries in every thousand workers over their careers.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 500,000 workers are injured annually due to welding accidents. Welding is an extremely dangerous occupation, with the risk of death being more than 4 per 1000 over a career.