Browsing: welding

By Paul Bernier, ASP We all understand that when welding outdoors or in well-ventilated areas, the fumes created usually dissipate and are eliminated. But what about working indoors during the winter? With rising energy costs, weld shops need to conserve heat in the building, while keeping employees safe from weld fumes. Mitigation systems can be expensive, but proper ventilation is a necessity for the safety and comfort of the work environment. Fortunately, as a distributor, we can supply our customers with everything needed for PRODUCT. Weld fumes introduce carcinogenic toxins to the lungs. Depending on what material is being welded,…

By Gary Konarska, Executive Director and CEO of the American Welding Society (AWS) During times of crisis, good business leaders control the factors they can, adapt readily and plan for life post-crisis. Our industry successfully controlled its destiny by ensuring that welding, cutting and related companies were deemed “essential businesses.” As a result, comparatively more workers retained their jobs. One might think the pandemic temporarily alleviated the shortage of skilled welders, but it actually exacerbated it in many instances, such as when one person testing positive required an entire department to self-isolate. Lack of a stable workforce has hindered organizations…

The “skills gap” is an issue that all companies in our industry, as well as many of our customers, face every day. The nation-wide shortage of qualified welders and fabricators is certainly not a new phenomenon. We discussed what many GAWDA members are doing to address this issue in the spring issue of Welding & Gases Today, in an article entitled “Attacking the Skills Gap.” Today, a high school in Syracuse, New York, is doing its part to prepare students to fill that gap. Corcoran High School last year introduced a welding program as part of its 27 Career and…