Laser Welding PPE: What You Need to Know

We get it – no one becomes a welder because they are excited about safety gear. But the importance of welding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) cannot be overstated. Protecting yourself, and the welders in your shop, is critical.

Most welders are already familiar with the PPE they should be wearing for welding processes like MIG and TIG, but many are less certain about the requirements for laser welding. Don’t worry, we have you covered – in this article we’ll tell you what PPE you’ll need, when to wear it, and debunk some common misconceptions.

PPE for Handheld Laser Welding

Laser Safety Glasses or Goggles

As Class 4 laser devices, handheld laser welders present a very real threat to unprotected eyes. The highly focused beam of light, which rapidly melts metal at close ranges, can cause permanent eye damage to individuals within a few hundred feet of the welding process. This applies to both direct and reflected light.

Laser safety eyewear, like glasses or goggles, is the first thing welders, observers, and passersby should reach for. Laser safety glasses protect your eyes by blocking certain kinds of light while allowing others to pass through as normal.

It is important to remember that no pair of glasses is intended to protect against all lasers. In order to understand which glasses are required, you must first understand laser wavelength and Optical Density (OD).

The wavelength of a laser, often measured in nanometers (nm), determines a variety of things about the laser like its beam output, color, and visibility. Handheld laser welders emit light with a wavelength of approximately 1070 nm, which is invisible to the naked eye. That means that laser safety glasses for laser welding must offer protection for a range of wavelengths that includes 1070 nm.

Optical Density refers to the degree to which the lens will protect against the specified wavelength range. The higher the OD, the less light within that range that will make it past the lens. For laser welding, laser safety glasses should have a rating of OD 7 or higher. Glasses with this rating will block 99.9999% or more of incoming laser light within the specified wavelength range.

Reputable handheld laser welder brands include the necessary laser safety eyewear in the box. If you need additional laser safety glasses or goggles you can typically find the wavelength range and OD on the temple bars or etched into the lenses.

Laser Welding Helmets

Anyone that is more than a few feet away from in-progress laser welding is protected with just laser safety glasses, so long as they don’t stand directly across from the torch. However, the welder themselves must also wear a helmet rated for laser welding.

Just like typical welding helmets, laser welding helmets are made up of a protective shell and filters that protect the wearer’s eyes from ultraviolet and infrared radiation. However, laser welding helmets are specifically rated for and designed to protect against the light produced by handheld laser welders. Typical welding helmets are not acceptable for laser welding under any circumstances.

We highly recommended that welders do not rely on just a laser welding helmet alone. By wearing both a helmet and laser safety glasses underneath, welders have two layers of protection rather than just one.

Although not unique to laser welding, laser welding helmets also offer protection against heat, sparks, and impacts. Some handheld laser welders include a laser welding helmet but they can also be purchased separately.

Welding Clothes

Class 4 lasers can also cause burns and irritation to exposed skin at closer ranges. The first step to picking clothing for laser welding is covering exposed skin.

Fortunately, the sorts of clothes that offer protection for MIG and TIG welding are also enough for laser welding. That means all of the typical recommendations apply: cover up with long sleeves and pants, consider flame and heat resistance, avoid synthetic or plastic materials, wear durable gloves and boots, etc.

Personal Respirators

Welding fumes are not unique to laser welding but they are still important to consider. Personal respirators help protect your lungs from all sorts of toxic fumes and other particulates, particularly in areas that are not well ventilated.

If there is sufficient air flow, ventilation, or a dedicated fume extraction system, there is a chance that a personal respirator is not necessary. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry – your lungs will thank you in 20 years.

Common Myths & Misconceptions About Laser Welding PPE

Overall, lasers and laser safety are well understood. However, there are some common misconceptions that are downright dangerous. Here are some examples.

MYTH: Sunglasses Are Fine. While you might look cool in your trademark shades, you won’t if you rely on them for protection. Sunglasses, as their name suggests, are designed to block light from the sun –they are ineffective at blocking the light from laser welders.

MYTH: PPE is Optional for Short Duration Welding. While laser welding is typically very fast, how long the laser is on is not a factor in whether you should wear PPE or not. Short exposure to laser light, as little as a fraction of a second, is enough to cause serious injury.

MYTH: Any Welding Helmet is Fine. We covered this earlier, but it’s worth repeating. Regular welding helmets are not an option, even if it feels like they are blocking light. Laser welding should not start without a properly rated laser welding helmet.

MYTH: Respiratory Protection is Not Necessary. Some have claimed that fumes are less of a problem when laser welding due to higher welding speeds and a smaller weld pool. This is untrue – whether you are welding with a laser or not, the welding area should be as well-ventilated as possible. If there is any chance of inhaling welding byproducts, welders should wear personal respirators.

Laser Safety Is About More Than Just PPE

PPE is just one factor in a workspace’s laser safety – additional considerations include adherence to proper protocols, designating a Laser Safety Officer, and establishing a Laser Controlled Area. For a thorough summary, check out Everything You Need to Know About Laser Welding Safety. For more detail about Laser Controlled Areas, read A Guide to Laser Welding Safety & Laser Controlled Areas.