Safety & Health
ANSI Z49.1:2021, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes
The 2021 revision is now available and accessible for free download from the website. During the period of these revisions, the American Standards Association has become the American National Standards Institute and War Standard ASA Z49.1-1944 has become ANSI Z49.1-2021.
AWS Safety and Health Fact Sheets
Guidelines, definitions and facts to help you gain knowledge about being safe in the workplace. Topics include: Fumes and Gases, Ergonomics in the Welding Environment, California Proposition 65 and others.
IIW Statement on Manganese
The American Welding Society, as a sponsor body of the American Council of the International Institute of Welding (IIW), has received the following Statement on Manganese from the IIW. This statement does not necessarily represent the position of the American Welding Society. AWS is providing access to this statement for information as a public service. Download IIW Statement
Duke University Study on Manganese
Does scientific and medical literature support concerns that some have expressed about exposure to manganese in welding fume? Read Study
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monograph 118 on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans: WELDING, MOLYBDENUM TRIOXIDE, AND INDIUM TIN OXIDE
In 2018, IARC released their monograph outlining their rationale to change the IARC classification of welding fume from Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) to Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans). AWS engaged a third-party expert (Ramboll Group) to evaluate and review the IARC reclassification.
Additionally, the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) undertook its own independent evaluation of the IARC reclassification.
Request report by email NSRP@ATI.ORG: Advanced Impact Analysis- Potential Changes to Weld Fume Carcinogenicity Designation (2019-473-001)
After consideration of these two independent analyses, the AWS Safety and Health Committee recommends that the welding community continue to follow the guidance in ANSI Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes, and all recommendations of manufacturers including Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), warning labels and product use instructions.
