Development of a MGU measurement campaign "Noise during various welding processes"

Status:

ongoing 10/2024

Aims:

The term "welding" covers a group of processes for the permanent joining of two or more workpieces. Among the most familiar welding processes are arc welding with metal inert gas (MIG), metal active gas (MAG) and tungsten inert gas (TIG). Altogether, however, over 60 different sub-groups of welding processes exist. The German Social Accident Insurance Institutions have observed that very high noise exposures, hazardous to hearing, occur at welding workplaces. Due to the wide breadth of the exposure values available to date, however, it is not currently possible to draw conclusions regarding the actual noise exposure at a workplace retrospectively on the basis of legacy workplace data, for example for the investigation of cases of occupational disease (BK procedure). To permit a differentiated analysis based on a comprehensive body of data, a systematic measurement campaign was developed in which key parameters of the welding processes used are to be recorded, as well as the noise exposure itself. The aim of this project was to prepare the measurement specification and the required information and documentation for practical performance of the measurement campaign within the MGU.

Activities/Methods:

Experts from the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions for the woodworking and metalworking industries (BGHM) and the energy, textile, electrical and media products sectors (BG ETEM), together with the section Technical Infrastructure – Mechanical Development of the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance (IFA), began by familiarizing themselves with the most common welding processes, and drawing up a preliminary measurement specification. For this purpose, the parameters to be measured and their recording and coding in the OMEGA software were defined by a working group comprising personnel from the IFA, BG ETEM and BGHM. This required the OMEGA software to be extended by the IFA’s Exposure and Risk Assessment Department. The measurement specification created in this way was tested in the MGU on a welding test bench at the IFA in a trial phase involving authorized employees.

Results:

Based on the experience gained during the trial phase, the measurement specification was finalized and incorporated into a guidance document. The required accompanying documents for the planned MGU measurement campaign (MGU: Measurement System for exposure assessment of the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions) were prepared and made available. This also includes a tool that the personnel performing measurement can take with them into the company to ensure that all required parameters are recorded. The update of the OMEGA noise software, which was essential for conducting of the measurement campaign, has been published. With publication of the 37/2024 MGU Newsletter, the measurement campaign for noise caused by a range of welding processes is now available to the MGU’s members. This is the first measurement campaign in the MGU on the subject of noise.

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