Controlling Exposure to Manganese in Welding Fume |

Lincoln Electric
??OVERVIEW

Arc welding fume contains very small particles from the consumables, base metal and base metal
coating. The substances in the fume particles vary depending upon the constituents of the electrode
and the chemistry of the base metal being welded, including any coatings, paint or plating. The most
common compounds in arc welding fume when welding on mild or carbon steel are complex oxides
of iron, silicon and manganese, although many other compounds may also be in welding fume.
Welders who are overexposed to substances in welding fume may potentially be at risk for various
short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic) health issues.

The two most common US exposure limits are established by OSHA in the form of Permissible
Exposure Limits (PEL) and by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
(ACGIH) in the form of Threshold Limit Values (TLV). Your employer is required by OSHA to keep
exposures below the PEL and may choose voluntarily to keep exposures below the TLV, if it’s lower
than the PEL.

This white paper will focus on what employers and welders can do to help control exposure levels to
welding fumes, and highlight manganese in particular because in 2013 the ACGIH adopted a new,
lower TLV for manganese.

?Be sure to check the safety data sheet for the products you use. It’s important to not only evaluate
the exposure to the welder, but also material handlers, stock keepers and others working in the
facility. Fumes are not exclusive to the welder’s work area as they may migrate to areas where
other workers may be exposed. When measuring to a TLV limit, the measurements should be
averaged throughout the worker’s shift, which is typically eight hours. Where exposures are
assessed to be over the TLV, many approaches can be considered to reduce exposures to
acceptable levels.

Engineering controls

If there is any potential employee exposure to manganese or other compounds above their
respective PELs, OSHA requires that engineering and work practice controls be installed first. The
various types of control options for arc welding fumes are described below. The control options
listed below should be used before considering a respirator. The use of ventilation/exhaust is often
the most feasible method for controlling exposures. Respirators can further reduce exposures and
can only do so to those who wear them.

Work practice controls

This involves adjustments in the way a task is performed, as well as the periodic inspection and
maintenance of engineering control equipment. Work practice controls should complement
engineering controls in providing employee protection. These practices include safe welding habits
(keeping your head out of the fumes, keeping fumes and gases away from your breathing zone and
proper training and use of fume extraction equipment) as well as housekeeping, maintenance and
general administrative procedures, such as scheduling operations/tasks at a time to minimize
potential exposure.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

After you have considered and implemented the options listed above that are best suited to your
workplace, conduct additional exposure monitoring and compare the results with the exposure limit
you are trying to achieve. If adequate ventilation is not feasible, it may be necessary to protect
employees with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as a respirator.

Many Lincoln Electric material safety data sheets (MSDS) have a Maximum Fume Exposure™
guideline number and the substance upon which it is determined. The purpose of this guideline is to
provide the industrial hygienist with insight into which material is likely to be the principal chemical of
hygienic significance detected during fume monitoring and the approximate total fume exposure at
which the recommended exposure limit is reached. It’s provided as a tool to be used for helping to
control the exposure levels in the workplace. The lower the fume guideline number, the better the
engineering controls must be to control the exposure.

The Lincoln Electric Maximum Fume Exposure guideline number does not consider any paint or
plating on the work because that information is only available when the specific application is
known. It is best to remove paint, plating or other contaminants from the base metal before welding,
if that is possible. If the base metal cannot be cleaned before welding, the composition of the
coating should be evaluated. In addition, the fumes should be collected and analyzed to determine
what compounds from the surface preparation are in the fume, and to measure the amount of
exposure to those compounds.

Frequently asked questions

Why did the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) decide to make
this change which lowers the TLV for respirable and inhalable manganese?

The ACGIH’s change in the manganese particulate TLVs appears to be based on reports of pre-
clinical neurobehavioral and neuropsychological changes in workers exposed to chronic low levels
of manganese. Some reviewers have pointed out methodological flaws in these studies and that
they have demonstrated notably inconsistent findings after several decades of research.
Nevertheless, the ACGIH decided to move forward

with the reduction in its TLV for manganese.

Does the new Threshold Limit Value (TLV) distinguish manganese in welding fume from other types
of manganese?

No, the new TLV does not distinguish between the form of manganese found in welding fume and
other forms of manganese.

What is the ACGIH and is it part of the government?

The ACGIH is a non-profit, non-governmental corporation dedicated to promoting worker health and
reducing exposures to environmental health stressors in the workplace. Many government employed
industrial hygienists are members in the ACGIH.

What exactly is the TLV?

According to the ACGIH, its TLVs represent conditions under which nearly every worker repeatedly
can be exposed without adverse health effects. They also caution that TLVs are not intended to
represent fine lines between safe and unsafe exposure levels. The ACGIH acknowledges that its
TLVs are not consensus standards and do not take into account economic or technical feasibility
issues.

Is the TLV a legal or regulatory exposure limit?

No, the TLV is not a regulatory limit such as OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). Some
governmental entities utilize its TLVs in adopting standards. The Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
of 5.0 mg/m3, ceiling, remains the US exposure limit for manganese enforced by OSHA.

Should we follow the new TLV – and if so – why?

The ACGIH is a long-standing body that is comprised of professional industrial hygienists that
review applicable health studies, monitor reports related to the health effects and risks of exposure
to compounds encountered in the workplace, and advise regarding safe exposure levels. Lincoln
Electric continues to recommend that exposures in the workplace be controlled to the TLV or the
applicable regulatory exposure limit standard, whichever is the more conservative.

Do countries outside the U.S. adopt the ACGIH TLV as their legal regulatory exposure limit?

In short, yes. For example, many countries, and the State of California, adopt exposure limits that
are equal to the ACGIH TLV. Countries with exposure limit standards equivalent to TLVs include,
most Canadian provinces, many European countries, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico and much of South
 America. Some of these will undoubtedly adopt the new TLV for manganese.

How do I know if a welder’s exposure is below the TLV?

As an initial observation, the welder’s breathing zone and general area should be clear of any
visible fume or particulate. The most effective means for confirming that exposures are below the
TLV is to have a qualified individual such as a professional industrial hygienist conduct an exposure
assessment in your workplace.

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