Any Welders out there??? Need advice please.

[Mackie2k]

Girlfriend just got off the phone with her mom. Her older brother (21) was welding, and his boss turned around and saw that he was turning blue.

He immediately took him to the hospital and apperently he "burned" his lungs......

The mom couldn't really talk to him, he could barely speak and couldn't breath when she spoke to him at the hospital. She's going to fly to Denver (from seattle) and my girlfriend might go with

Anyone know how this could happen? I was thinking fumes from the welding materials....but was wondering if there was a "known" hazard when welding that could burn your lungs. Is this super serious, could he die? My girlfriend wants to go see be with him if it's not just superficial, but she just started college and doesn't want to drop out.

Obviously I'm not expecting medical advice, just wondering if any welders out there have experience with this type of injury. I don't know what he was welding either.

Update:

He was in the hospital for 3 days, and they just released him. He's on Oxygen appearently and he's flying into Seattle to stay with us and his mom who also lives here.

 

[RedArmy]

I've done a fair share of welding and if you have proper ventilation such as a shop fan or just an open air area it shouldn't be a problem at all unless for some reason you're standing right over it.

I've never heard of someone burning their lungs, at least relating to welding. I've heard of it in fires and chemical related incidents.

Edit: It's hard to find even anything on Google, if you could find a link for anything relating to it I'd be interested in reading it

 

[NorthRiver]

Originally posted by: Mackie2k
Girlfriend just got off the phone with her mom. Her older brother (21) was welding, and his boss turned around and saw that he was turning blue.

He immediately took him to the hospital and apperently he "burned" his lungs......

The mom couldn't really talk to him, he could barely speak and couldn't breath when she spoke to him at the hospital. She's going to fly to Denver (from seattle) and my girlfriend might go with

Anyone know how this could happen? I was thinking fumes from the welding materials....but was wondering if there was a "known" hazard when welding that could burn your lungs. Is this super serious, could he die? My girlfriend wants to go see be with him if it's not just superficial, but she just started college and doesn't want to drop out.

Obviously I'm not expecting medical advice, just wondering if any welders out there have experience with this type of injury. I don't know what he was welding either.

if the fumes and/or dust from manganese welding rods are inhaled, this material can become lodged in the lungs and some portion may reach the blood stream. This method of manganese exposure can pose serious health risks, particularly neurological damage.

I welded for about 7 years, and never knew of anyone burning their lungs? Lots of people burn their eyes because they slack off and don't take the proper precautions. Good luck.

 

[Mackie2k]

I welded for about 7 years, and never knew of anyone burning their lungs? Lots of people burn their eyes because they slack off and don't take the proper precautions. Good luck.

He works on large trucks like semi's, I was thinking he was welding something and hit some chemicals or something, like oil or antifreeze, etc...and it vaporized and he breathed it in.

Thanks for the good thoughts.

 

[BoomerD]

They make special respirators for welders, as MOT of the fumes from arc welding are now considered toxic. It's particularly important when welding stainess or other alloys, and especially surfaces treated with zinc and cadium.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=n...GGLG_en___US203&q=welding+fumes+hazard

While I've never heard of someone "burning their lungs" from welding fumes, there are a lot of health hazards associated with them.
I've welded on/off for over 30 years, and have gotten sick (not seriously) a few times from inhaling the fumes. Welding stainless has it's own set of health hazards, as the chromium fumes are suspected to cause brain cancer.

 

[miniMUNCH]

I have not welded as long as BoomerD (only a few years here and there)...

but like BoomerD said, when welding it easy to flash vaporize/combust chemicals that are on your weld materials. If he was arc welding, your girlfriend's brother could have breathed in vaporized metal (Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb) -OR- combusted lubricating or cutting oil which means he inhaled some chlorinated/fluorinated compounds and/or some straight Cl/F gas. So he could have sustained chemical burns and the worst may not be over for him...he could still die from continued action of the chemicals in his lung cell and other organs in his body.

If he was brazing or soldering with an acetylene torch then literally could have inhaled the hot gas and burnt his lungs. If he is alive now and somewhat stable then he is probably going to be just fine.

 

[loic2003]

Just getting my qualification for MIG welding. Never heard of lung burning, unless he's somehow inhaled hot fumes from the welding. How he did this behing a welding mask I can't understand. Do post up how he's doing as you find out!

 

[drnickriviera]

Since I started getting sore throats after welding, I started using these
http://www.safetycompany.com/product_info.php?cPath=25_130&products_id=178

If I were in a production environment, i'd demand a positive air system.

As with all the other replies, i've never heard of someone burning their lungs.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

sounds to me like zinc poisoning, maybe he went to work on something galvanized and didn't realize it.

 

[Mackie2k]

He was in the hospital for 3 days, and they just released him. He's on Oxygen appearently and he's flying into Seattle to stay with us and his mom who also lives here.

Thanks for the comments.....

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: Mackie2k
He was in the hospital for 3 days, and they just released him. He's on Oxygen appearently and he's flying into Seattle to stay with us and his mom who also lives here.

Thanks for the comments.....

Is he fine? Are there going to be any long-lasting effects?