![Hot Metal, Higher Cancer Risks: Australian Welders Exposed to Fumes Hot Metal, Higher Cancer Risks: Australian Welders Exposed to Fumes](https://images.medindia.net/health-images/1200_1000/arc-welding-fume.jpg)
Cancer risk: Most Aussie welders exposed to high levels of dangerous fumes
Go to source) The research team surveyed 634 workers and employers involved in welding from across Australia and asked a series of questions about their work, including the tasks they undertook.
‘Australian #welders face significant health risks due to exposure to #cancerous fumes at work, with over 46,000 workers affected. #cancer’
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The survey revealed about 90 percent were being exposed to ‘welding fume’, a mixture of very fine particles and gases produced when a metal is heated above its boiling point. ![twitter](https://images.medindia.net/icons/news/social/twitter.png)
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High Exposure to Carcinogenic Welding Fumes
Welding fume is a known carcinogen in humans. Of the participants found to be exposed to welding fume, 76 percent were deemed to be exposed at a high level, while other carcinogenic metals were also often present — most commonly hexavalent chromium and nickel.A joint Curtin University’s School of Population Health and University of Sydney project funded through the Centre for Work Health and Safety, the Australian-first study was published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
Dr Renee Carey said this new research showed many welders in Australia could be at risk of developing serious health problems. “Data shows at least 60,000 people are employed as welders, however the number of people who complete welding tasks as part of their job would be far higher,” Dr Carey said.
“Welding fume exposure has been associated with various adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory disease, neurological disorders and reproductive effects.”
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Reference:
- Cancer risk: Most Aussie welders exposed to high levels of dangerous fumes - (https://www.curtin.edu.au/news/media-release/cancer-risk-most-aussie-welders-exposed-to-high-levels-of-dangerous-fumes/)