Understand the invisible risks before the arc strikes.
Welding is known to produce toxic metal fumes and gases that often exceed regulatory exposure limits. However, the health risks multiply when welding is performed over painted or coated surfaces — a common reality during equipment repairs, fabrication touch-ups, or retrofits in industrial environments.
Paints and coatings are chemically complex, often containing solvents, plasticizers, pigments, resins, and additives. When exposed to high heat during welding or cutting, these compounds decompose and release a mixture of hazardous vapours, many of which are unknown, unlisted, or severely underestimated in traditional exposure assessments.
🔬 New Service from LCS Laboratory: Controlled Smoke Decomposition Testing
LCS Laboratory offers an innovative and highly targeted laboratory service for industrial hygiene professionals seeking to characterize these emissions before work begins.
Using Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry Detection (GC-MSD), we precisely identify and quantify the volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs) released when your specific paint or coating is exposed to welding temperatures.
🔎 How the Testing Works
- You submit a sample – a small chip or flake of the original paint or coating from your job site or equipment.
- We simulate thermal degradation – the sample is burned under controlled conditions in our laboratory, replicating burning in a welding arc.
- We collect the vapours – all emitted vapours and smoke components are condensed and trapped using a specialized cold trap system.
- We analyze the emissions – using GC-MSD, we identify and quantify the chemical compounds.
- We report the yield – results are reported as mg of vapour released per kilogram of paint, giving you a precise exposure profile.
⚠️ Why This Service Matters
- Predict exposure risks before the job starts
- Justify the need for enhanced PPE and ventilation
- Support risk assessments and control plans
- Comply with occupational exposure limits for previously uncharacterized hazards
- Provide documentation for safety audits or legal investigations
This service delivers an unprecedented level of insight into chemical exposure from real-world welding scenarios. For industrial hygienists, it’s a powerful tool for proactive hazard control and worker safety.
📞 Contact Us to Discuss Your Project
Whether you’re managing a single repair or conducting a plant-wide exposure assessment, we’re ready to help. Reach out today to discuss your testing needs or to learn more about our lab’s capabilities.
