Welding arc flashed, now what to do?

[ertwdan]

I had a kid working for me a few years ago that got a new MIG for his birthday. He watched way too much American Chopper and he spent the afternoon tacking a new floor into his pickup. He decided that the helmet wasn't needed. No flash, but talk about being a little red-faced...ha ha ha

Luckily he was smart enough to learn from this mistake.

[Hillbillysmith]

Put up a welding curtain around someone that is welding near you i the shop. It does help. As for the tapping the stinger before you get the helmet down, that's just mistiming. Wen you get welding alot, the lift up and flipping down messes with the side screw adjustment and it sometimes gets tighter. Tight enough that you don't nod your head hard enough and it doesn't come down all the way. Thus, getting a little extra sun tanning on your face. LOL Most of the time, it's either accidental or jut plain not paying any attention. But sometime, just sometimes, it's our own fault and we are dead to rights guilty just as JWB has said. We have all been there and we all will most likely be there again. And again, and again... It's just our natural reaction to cut corners to pick up some time so we just "Hillbilly" the job.........


-Hillbilly

[KCfabricator]

Don't flash yourself. I've found that to be the best remedy.

[IronFist]

In my years of welding I've had countless flash burn from either repair in a tank, boiler system, TIG welding in a superheater system alongside 4 others doing the same to just welding in the fabrication area on night shift. Thank the gods I do not have to do any of that any more. Anyway, the potato trick does work although I've never used it. I've also heard from a fellow weldor that one can put a thin layer of vapor rub over your eyelids. Havent used this one either. But I will say with any sunburn you can run hot water over it to take away the sting. Close your eyes in the shower and run the hottest water that you can stand over it but be careful, the eyes are sensitive to aftershock of this( pain in the eyes due to heat, which is what your trying to get rid of).

OR..... you can find a pretty cool doctor that will "turn his back" while the ponicaine is on the table.

Or just think about what the xxxx you are doing before you do it! Once you get in a rush, that is when you can screw something up bad.

[Johnnie C.]

I have been welding for about 8 years. A auto darkening lens helps alot when others are welding around you, but sometimes you have to keep your hood up when you have to put things together. Sometimes I wear dark safety glasses to help with the flashes. If you have a white wall, consider putting up a dark fire blanket. When I burn my eyes I use a lubricating eye drop that is like a gel to sooth the burn in my eyes. You can buy these eye drops over the counter.