Welding is a fascinating skill where you are able to fuse two, or more, separate pieces of metal together and create something new—while wearing protective welding gear. As you are essentially working with fire, your protection is paramount. And, as the welding torch produces bright ultra-violet light, proper welding gear that protects your eyes are a must.

Below, you will find information that will help you in your career as a welder by providing some welding clothing education and training. This information will help you to stay protected while you are welding, whether on a job or while working on your own projects. Welding safety clothing and gear reduces the risks of welding; consider these education options to help you stay safe:

1. Protect the head with the proper welding gear.

2. Wear welding safety clothing while welding.

3. Protect your hands with the proper welding gear.

Action Steps
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Educate yourself about welding gear to protect your head and eyes

The first part of welding clothing education and training is learning about the welding gear for the head and eyes, especially as the likelihood of sparks flying when welding is very high. Many welders like welding caps of fire-resistant cloth as a first layer of protection. This covers the hair, thus adding protection to the back of the head. Next is a welding helmet that can add varying degrees of protection. For example, while all helmets have protective glass that protects the welder's eyes from the light of the torch, some helmets protect during grinding as well. Helmets can also have a ventilation system, which can protect you from the harmful gasses produced by welding.

I recommend: Miller has good information on their site regarding welding helmets as well as comparison charts that can help you decide which welding helmet will work for you. An article found in Welding Magazine on welding helmets explores the issue further.

Learn about welder clothing to protect your torso

As might be expected, protection of the torso when welding is also important. This part of your welding clothing education and training means learning what welding work clothing would work best for you. At the very least, clothing for welders needs to be fire resistant. The traditional welding gear--welding jackets, welding shirts, welding vests, and welding pants--are made of leather, which has the benefit of being heat resistant as well. Technology has allowed fire resistant properties in other fabrics as well, such as cotton.

I recommend: The National Agricultural Safety Database has an excellent article on clothing for welding. Proper Clothing for Arc Welding Safety on eHow is a helpful video about welding clothes.

Find educational information about welding gear to protect your hands

Protecting your hands must be a consideration when buying welding protective clothing. Look for welding gear that allows your hands to remain protected from harmful sparks while retaining complete dexterity. Being able to make use of your hands is just as important as keeping them from burning.

I recommend: The American Welding Society has a good article about choosing welding gloves. Lincoln Electric has a helpful publication on gloves and safety practices while welding.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Welding protective clothing is something that you can't do without. Since the proper fit of the welding gear is imperative, it is worthwhile to take your time trying all of the gear on before buying it.

Welding clothes are an essential part to any welding operation. As with any industrial operation that involves metalworking, safety is always a top priority. Buying proper welding clothes to protect yourself or your employees is the first step to a safe operation.

Welding protective clothing may be made from a variety of materials, from the standard leather to synthetic cloth featuring an extremely high melting temperature. Synthetic welding clothing may be more expensive, but it's also lighter than leather while maintaining the same protective qualities. When searching for welding clothing suppliers, here are some things to look for:

1. For bulk purchases at a cheaper price, find an online wholesaler of welder clothing for everything from welding shirts and welding pants to welding caps and blankets.
2. Compare welding protective clothing by looking at multiple online catalogs detailing the specifications of products from different vendors.
3. If you want to create your own welder clothing or blankets from raw fabric, find a supplier of welding gear that sells unmanufactured textiles.
   

Action Steps
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Browse online catalogs for welding clothing products

For easy comparison of multiple welding goods, check out a catalog that lists numerous products at once. Search for the materials you need and compare prices and quality with other online catalogs.

I recommend: Grainger sells a full line of wholesale welding clothing. See their selection of welding shirts, caps, aprons and jackets. WeldingDepot also sells a variety of welding helmets, gloves and aprons.

Buy all your welding safety clothing and welding products from a single vendor

Make shopping for welding products easier by finding a welding clothing supplier that sells every product that keeps your operation safe.

I recommend: Safety Supply America sells a variety of welding protective clothing, as well as clothing accessories to stay safe while welding. See their clothing selection of caps, helmet bibs and rod pouches, as well as their blankets, curtains and goggles to protect your employees' bodies as well as their workspaces.

Find fabric from welding clothing suppliers

Look to welding suppliers for fire-resistant fabric if you want to fashion your own welding work clothing or other welding safety material. In addition to finished clothing products, many suppliers offer the fabric that their products are made of.

I recommend: Armil CFS sells Refrasil Silica Cloth, a utility cloth useful for welding operations. They also sell blankets made from Refrasil material. Industrial Energy Products sells a number of fire protective products for use in welding and also offer custom fabrication services to help you create any sort of welder clothing you need that is not offered for sale.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When searching for welding clothing and accessories, look for products that protect the worker from UV rays as well as flames and heat.
• •  Protect every part of your body when welding. Buy welding pants and shoes as well as the jackets and aprons that protect the more part of the body more directly in danger from heat and flames.

Welding clothes guard a welder against injury to any part of his body by providing protection against ultraviolet rays, welding heat and molten metals. Welding clothing includes gloves, aprons and bibs, hats, helmets, jackets, sleeves and leggings, safety glasses and other apparels. Welding clothing manufacturers use a variety of natural and synthetic insulating materials to manufacture these protective gears.

Read on to learn more about welding clothing key terms, such as welding helmets, welding gloves, welding caps and beanies and welding jackets.

Action Steps
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Welding helmets

Welding processes release ultraviolet and infrared rays that can endanger your eyesight. Welding helmets provide protection to the welder's face, hair, neck and eyes.

I recommend: You can get a basic understanding of welding helmets at wiseGEEK, a useful online resource. You can also get useful tips on welding helmets at The Lincoln Electric Company, a manufacturer of welding consumables.

Welding gloves

Welding gloves protect welders' hands from flames, heat and molten metal. They must not restrict hand or finger movement and are usually made of thermally insulating materials such as cotton, metal or wool.

I recommend: At GlobalSpec, an information resource for various industrial products, you can get detailed information on welding gloves and their applications.

Welding caps and beanies

A welding cap or beanie protects a welder's head and hair from flying sparks and unwanted chemical debris.

I recommend: Get basic information on welding caps and beanies at The Welder Shop, a supplier of welding equipment.

Welding jackets

Welders can wear welding jackets over regular clothing to protect skin and clothes from flames, sparks and radiation. Protective clothing acts as a shield against harmful emissions from welding activities.

I recommend: At The Working Person's Store, you can learn more about welding jackets and their applications.

Aprons

Aprons protect a welder's body and clothes from flying sparks and toxic chemicals. Aprons protect only the torso, so many welders prefer jackets to aprons when working with major welding projects.

I recommend: You can improve your understanding of aprons with the information at WorkSafely, an online information resource.

Welding glasses or safety goggles

Welding safety glasses or goggles provide protection to eyes from intense light that welding activities generate. Welding glasses come in different shades of darkness to suit different applications.

I recommend: To learn more about welding glasses, read through information at Sizes, Inc.. You can get the definition of safety goggles at Tooling U, an online training provider.

Welding hard hats

A welding hard hat is a type of helmet that welders can use for their daily work. Hard hats may also contain a visor for protection against injury.

I recommend: At Sentry Safety Supply, Inc., a manufacturer of safety gears, you can know more about welding hard hats.

Because welding involves sparks and flames, purchasing appropriate welding protective clothing is necessary. The price you pay for your protective gear will vary depending on the type of equipment you need and the specifications of that equipment.

When you are pricing welder clothing, don't give in to the temptation to buy the least expensive items. Instead, buy the clothing that will keep you safe. In order to help you do this, consider the following welding clothing pricing and costs guidelines:

1. Keep your head and face well protected while you are welding.

2. Protect your entire body by purchasing welding protective clothing.

3. Prevent burns by wearing welder gloves.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Protect your head and face with welding gear

Purchasing welding gear for your head and face is a big step to total safety. However, because each type of welding has specific dangers, purchasing helmets and hoods that are made for the type of welding you are doing is more important than trying to skimp on the cost.

I recommend: Web Soft offers a complete line of protective welding clothing for the head. Prices range from $30 for an Arc Flash Double Layer Nomex Knit Hood to up around $600 for a NOMEX and Kevlar Hood with Face Shield and Fans. Hoodlum Welding sells welding helmets in a variety of designs priced from $75 to $300.

Buy welding work clothing

Some welder clothing is made to be worn alone, while other clothing is made to be worn over regular clothing. Overalls can be worn in either manner, while bibs and jackets are made to be worn over regular clothing. Be sure to plan your budget for replacement items.

I recommend: You can buy welding clothing at Grainger. Prices range from $15 for a detachable welding bib to around $200 for welding jackets. DiscountSafetyGear.com sells a wide range of clothing for welders. Welding shirts and bibs start around $10, while overalls are around $80. Welding Depot sells a full line of welding clothes. Welding pants start at around $25, while sweatbands are around $5.

Remember to buy gloves to complete your welding gear arsenal

Welding without gloves can result in burns on your fingers, hands and arms. Purchasing a good pair of welding gloves is the only way to prevent this from happening. Generally, the higher priced the gloves, the more uses you will get out of them. Gloves are an expense that will recur often. The amount of time between glove purchases will vary depending on the amount and type of welding you do.

I recommend: You can find welding protective clothing at The Working Person's Store. Gloves from this company cost between $10 and $25 per pair. Enviro Safety Products sells welding gloves starting at around $5 per pair. This company offers quantity discounts.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are unable to purchase new welding gear, contact your local technical college to find out if it is selling any gear.