Engineering firms across Northern Ireland are set to undergo new inspections to ensure the correct control of welding fume.

Led by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), the inspection and enforcement initiative is set to begin in May this year.

HSENI Principal Anne Boylan said: "Welding fume, including mild steel fume, if not correctly managed, can cause lung cancer, kidney cancer, or lead to other health issues.

"Beginning in May our Inspectors will be visiting engineering businesses across Northern Ireland to ensure that proper controls are in place to manage the health risks associated with all welding activities."

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Throughout the initiative, HSENI Inspectors will be focusing on the controls that are in place to ensure health risks associated with welding activities are adequately controlled, in line with current legislation. In particular, inspectors will require that:

• Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) (On-tool extraction, fixed extraction, mobile extraction) is provided to control welding fume at source;

• Records exist and are available, showing that LEV has been thoroughly examined within the last 14 months, or evidence that you have it planned for a specific date and

• Respiratory Protection Equipment (RPE) where appropriate is provided to the correct standard and properly used and maintained.

To support businesses ahead of the initiative, HSENI working with industry professionals, has produced a series of six video presentations outlining the risks involved with welding and the controls that should be in place to protect workers.