Welding arc flashed, now what to do?

[Glenn]

We all have gotten out of time and hit the stinger before the hood went down. Results is arc flash or welding flash. Or some one near by is welding and you keep getting reflections from the white wall or hit with their arc.

What do you do to keep from getting arc flash?
What can you do to ease the red eye, flash symptoms, and or pain?

[mike-hr]

I paid about $700 for one of the first Jackson 3-in-one auto-dim hoods when they came out. It can switch to clear, flame cutting, or arc welding. I don't know what they cost now, probably much less. It's pushing ten yrs old, still working great. I'll buy another one when it finally gives up. A good auto-dim hood for arc welding only can be had for $150 or less. Just leave the hood down when production welding, no problems..

[JWBIRONWORKS]

Burnt my eyes last fall real good with a plasma cutter, stupidity was the reason. I have also burnt my eyes welding in tanks and material bins from reflection off the metal.
I recently bought a auto-dimming hood to weld with and really like it. It is just a cheapy from HF. However it won't go dim enough to plasma cut with.
As far as the pain goes the old potato trick helps alittle but not much. I'm to cheap to go to the emergency room (you never seem to realize how bad it is till you go to bed.) so I usually just lose some sleep and cuss myself.

John

[sstreckfuss]

I have done it 2 or 3 times over the years, the last time while welding galvanized which made my stomach sick as well. I haven't found anything to ease the suffering except good old fashioned sleep.

[fossilmaniac]

If you ever get into the smoke from welding galvanized metal then the best thing to do is treat it like heavy metal poisoning. Immediatley drink lots of milk. That helps to chelate the zinc and bind it to the protien thus enabling your body to process it and excrete it.

[RainsFire]

Our shop has these really nice glasses that are treated to block out some of the flash, and are tinted slightly.. they obviously won't protect you from staring straight at even an oxy acetelyn flame for an extended ammount of time, but they do cut down on accidental flash burns.

[eburgblue]

An old trick for the eye pain after flashburn is to use milk as an eyewash.

[blubrick]

JWB, for raw newbs like myself, just saying "stupidity was the reason" doesn't say very much. I might be doing, or about to do the same stupid thing without even realizing how stupid it is.

Similarly, I've never heard of the old potato trick. I guess you put cut pieces of raw potato over your closed eyes? I've heard of people doing the same thing with cold teabags.

[JWBIRONWORKS]

Blubrick,
I got in a hurry and could not see the outlines for 150 rose petals I needed to cut out. Instead of digging out and setting up 2 floodlights I took my shaded glasses off and cut about 50 out with the plasma cutter without any eye protection. If I had seen someone else doing the same thing I would have stopped them and warned them not to. The resulting burn was a very bad night and next day. I knew better and did it anyway thus "STUPIDITY" my fault no one elses and no excuses for my actions.

Yep you have the gist of the potato thing. I think it does help but when your in that kinda misery so would a kick in the groin it would take your mind off of your eyes for a short while. Seriously though it's not something you want to experience for yourself.

John

[Timekiller]

Im surprised, with my stupidity... I have never received bad flashburn. At most my eyes tingle a bit at night. But I did hear the potato trick. I guess the miller auto darkening helmet helped a LOT with this problem.

Now... as far as "sunburn" I have had that on many occasions, I believe the worst was the inside of my knee. It hurt to walk. Now I always have a long sleve cotton shirt, and denim or cotton pants. I had a sweet "farmers tan" a few summers ago, while welding up about 20 bicycles.