Stop guessing what your welders are breathing. Start proving control.
We measure welding fume exposure in real fabrication environments and provide defensible data, clear reporting and practical recommendations aligned with HSE expectations following the 2019 enforcement change.
- UK-wide since 2013
- Independent assessments
- ISO 9001 accredited
- Practical control advice
What this means for you
Evidence you can act on and defend.
Measured exposure evidence
Data suitable for HSE, insurers and audits.
Independent assessment
Occupational hygiene review of real exposure risk.
Practical control recommendations
Prioritised actions based on risk and operational practicality.
Compliance support
Evidence to support COSHH and internal governance.
Speak with a welding fume specialist
0800 433 7914
sales@sysco-env.co.ukMon–Fri · 08:00–18:00 · Independent advice · Fixed-price scope
Typical response: same working day
What happens next
Most welding surveys are completed with minimal disruption.
We typically attend site for one shift, sample the welders most at risk during normal production, evaluate your controls and return a clear action plan within agreed reporting timescales.
No unnecessary disruption. No generic paperwork. No unnecessary complexity.
Whether exposure is controlled
A clear yes or no, backed by measurement.
Where the highest risks are
Locations, tasks and roles ranked by exposure.
What actions matter most
A prioritised plan you can budget and schedule.
What you get
Four answers. One clear plan.
You need to know what your workforce is exposed to, whether your controls are effective, what actions matter most, and how to demonstrate control confidently.
That is exactly what we deliver.
Know what your team breathes
We measure real exposure on the people most at risk, using validated methods for welding fume — no guesswork.
Know where you stand legally
We compare your numbers to the WELs in EH40 for manganese, chromium VI, nickel and total inhalable particulate.
Know if your controls work
An independent review of your LEV, ventilation, RPE and work practices — what's effective and what isn't.
Get a report you can act on
Clear findings and a prioritised action plan suitable for HSE, insurers and operational management.
Why clients call
If any of this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
- 01
An auditor is asking
HSE, your insurer or a client wants evidence — not assurances
We provide measured welding fume data and a clear technical report that resolves the issue quickly.
- 02
Your team is worried
Operatives are reporting concerns or symptoms
We attend site, quantify workforce exposure and provide clear evidence of current risk levels.
- 03
You suspect a problem
You know there's a risk and you want measured data before it becomes a crisis
We quantify exposure, assess it against current limits and provide a prioritised corrective action plan.
What we answer for you
Three questions, settled.
- Where your people are exposed
- We map the tasks, areas and shifts where welding fume matters, then sample what your team actually breathes — not a generic site average.
- Whether your controls are working
- An independent review of your LEV, ventilation, PPE and work practices — what is effective and what requires improvement.
- What you need to fix first
- A prioritised, costed action list — the smallest set of changes that gets you compliant and measurably safer.
How we work with you
From your first call to your action plan.
- 1
We listen first — your site, your concerns, your deadline.
- 2
We walk the workplace with your team to see exposure as it actually happens.
- 3
We sample on the people most at risk, using validated occupational hygiene methods for welding fume.
- 4
We assess your existing controls honestly — what's working, what isn't.
- 5
You receive a clear technical report suitable for operational, compliance and regulatory readers.
- 6
We hand you a prioritised action plan you can budget, schedule and defend.
Typical survey outputs
What you receive at the end of the engagement.
- Personal exposure monitoring data
- Welder personal sampling against EH40 limits
- Static / area sampling where required
- LEV and ventilation observations
- RPE suitability review
- Exposure risk mapping by task
- Prioritised corrective actions
- Defensible technical report
Client testimony
“Sysco's welding fume survey gave us measured exposure data and a clear, prioritised plan that closed out the HSE concerns within a quarter.”
— HSE manager
UK steel fabricator
Typical environments we assess
Wherever welding fume risk affects your people.
- Steel fabrication
- Sheet-metal workshops
- Maintenance bays
- On-site welding
- Shipyards
- Welding schools
Background
Welding fume exposure, in detail.
- What is welding fume?
- Health effects of welding fume expos…
- How welding fume monitoring works
- Exposure limits and the legal framew…
- Practical controls for welding opera…
What is welding fume?
Welding fume is a complex aerosol of metal oxides, silicates and fluorides produced when metal is heated above its melting point. Composition depends on the parent metal, the consumable, the process (MMA, MIG, MAG, TIG) and shielding gas. Stainless steel work introduces hexavalent chromium and nickel; mild steel emits high mass concentrations of iron oxide and manganese.
Health effects of welding fume exposure
Acute effects include metal-fume fever, throat and chest irritation and headaches. Chronic effects of concern are siderosis, manganism (a parkinsonian neurotoxic syndrome), occupational asthma and lung cancer.
Following IARC's 2017 reclassification of welding fume as a Group 1 carcinogen, the HSE issued a 2019 enforcement expectation requiring effective engineering controls on all welding operations indoors and a sufficient level of respiratory protection where any residual exposure remains.
How welding fume monitoring works
We sample personal breathing-zone exposure with calibrated pumps and IOM heads, analysed for total inhalable mass and speciated metals (Mn, Cr(VI), Ni, Fe, Cu) by ICP/MS and ion chromatography for hexavalent chromium.
Where on-torch extraction or LEV is fitted, we evaluate capture velocity and filter performance against HSG258 expectations.
Exposure limits and the legal framework
Manganese in welding fume has a WEL of 0.05 mg/m³ (respirable, 8-h TWA). Hexavalent chromium has a WEL of 0.025 mg/m³ and nickel 0.5 mg/m³. Following the 2019 HSE position, controls must reduce exposure as low as is reasonably practicable irrespective of measured concentration.
Practical controls for welding operations
On-torch extraction is the most effective engineering control where it can be tolerated. Bench LEV, mobile LEV with pre-positioned hoods and downdraft tables all have a place. Where engineering controls cannot drive exposure to negligible levels, powered air respirators with face-fit-tested half masks or welding helmets with PAPR are required.
Related services
Often assessed alongside welding fume.
Diesel exhaust (DEEE)
Personal sampling and elemental carbon analysis for diesel-exposed environments.
Explore 02LEV testing (TExT)
Statutory thorough examination & test of extraction systems under COSHH reg 9.
Explore 03Hazardous substances (COSHH)
Full COSHH exposure assessments across solvents, dusts, fumes and bio-aerosols.
Explore 04Workplace noise
Noise at Work assessments and personal dosimetry against the Action Values.
ExploreCommon questions
Welding Fumes — FAQs.
Quick answers to the questions we hear most from operations, HSE and procurement teams.
- What is the legal exposure limit for welding fume?
- Manganese carries a WEL of 0.05 mg/m³ respirable. Hexavalent chromium 0.025 mg/m³. Nickel 0.5 mg/m³. The 2019 HSE position requires effective engineering controls regardless of measured concentration.
- Do you carry out face-fit testing as well?
- Yes — quantitative Portacount face-fit testing for tight-fitting RPE is available as an add-on or stand-alone service.
- Can you assess on-torch and bench extraction?
- Yes. We measure capture performance and check filtration against HSG258 expectations for general LEV systems.
- How long does a survey take?
- Most fabrication shops are completed in one shift. Multi-shift or multi-process facilities may require additional visits.
- Do you sample for hexavalent chromium specifically?
- Yes. Stainless and chrome-bearing work is sampled with a method validated for soluble Cr(VI), with ion chromatography analysis.
- Where in the UK do you work?
- Nationwide — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from regional bases.
Speak with a welding fume specialist
Tell us your situation. We'll come back with a plan.
Tell us
- where welding is performed,
- the materials and processes involved,
- what controls are in place,
- and your reporting deadline.
We will provide
- a clear scope,
- fixed quotation,
- proposed attendance strategy,
- and expected reporting timeframe.
Send us a brief
Outline the sites, tasks and timelines of concern — we'll reply with a clear scope and fixed quotation.
From the field
Related case studies & insights
- Case study
Welding fumes assessment in a specialist fabrication workshop with focus on fume reduction.
Read case study - Case study
Mitigating Health Risks in Large Scale Steel Fabrication: Welding Fume Exposure Assessment
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How a Fabrication Site Controlled Welding Fume Exposure to Stay Well Below Safety Limits
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