Is welding fume monitoring a legal requirement in the UK?

If you can't prove that you're keeping exposure levels under the legal limits, you're legally required to start monitoring. Now that welding fumes are considered a carcinogen, the HSE wants employers to stick to COSHH rules.

This means checking risks, showing your safety measures work, and checking them on a regular basis. Regular monitoring is usually needed if you weld a lot or do it in tight spaces. You don't need to test every single year unless the risks change, but you must have proof that exposure is under control.