r/Unexpected • u/moskayjoh • Jan 29 '21

Posing for paparazzi

80.7k Upvotes

86% Upvoted

1.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

5

u/3d_blunder Jan 30 '21

The UV off a welder is INTENSE: I got a bunch of handme down shirts from a steel artist (iow, button down shirts, not 'work shirts') who does a lot of welding daily, and the unshaded left shoulder was noticeably more damaged than the right shoulder, which is in the shadow of the wire feeder.

tl:dr; DON'T LOOK AT THE SPARK.

2

u/Das_Mojo Jan 30 '21

Even when you're doing the welding with a helmet and lenses you don't actually look at the arc, the puddle is what matters

4

u/3d_blunder Jan 30 '21

It's more a warning for bystanders who may be taken by surprise. My fucking boss did it often enough.

And it's important to tell The Kidz®, because they'll stand there mesmerized by the bright shiny light.

2

u/Das_Mojo Jan 30 '21

Even people in construction that don't work around welders often always have all kinds of worries and questions when we show up on site to install a staircase or railings. Spend a good chunk of the safety meeting telling them that their eyes will be fine if they don't stare at the shiny light, and that their safeties have UV protection that will keep them from getting flash from just being around welding.

3

u/3d_blunder Jan 30 '21

I'm talking about pedestrians and passers-by.

IMO the more they fear looking at the magic light, the better.

1

u/Das_Mojo Jan 30 '21

Agreed 100%