What industries are most at risk of elevated welding fume exposure?

Industries with regular or heavy welding operations face the highest risks. This includes fabrication workshops, structural steel manufacturing, shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing and repair, rail engineering, and heavy plant maintenance.

Construction can also present significant risk, particularly when welding occurs in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. Maintenance teams in manufacturing facilities may also experience intermittent but intense exposures.

Smaller workshops are sometimes overlooked, but limited ventilation in compact spaces can actually increase exposure levels.

Where stainless steel welding is common — such as food processing equipment manufacturing — additional risks from chromium VI may be present.

The common factor across all these sectors is the frequency, duration and environment of welding activities. Risk should never be assumed low simply because the business is small.