Controlling welding fume in the workplace is essential to protect welder health and meet occupational exposure limits. But, simply installing an extraction system isn’t enough; the equipment used must be properly designed, maintained and operated to capture airborne contaminants effectively at source.
This is where the ISO 21904-1 standard comes in. Part of an international safety standard series (Health and safety in welding and allied processes), it establishes general health, safety and performance requirements for fume extraction equipment.
What is ISO 21904-1?
ISO 21904-1:2020 – Health and safety in welding and allied processes – Equipment for capture and separation of welding fume – Part 1: General requirements covers equipment designed to capture and separate welding fume.
The standard applies to a range of extraction equipment, including local exhaust ventilation systems (LEV) and on-torch extraction tools. It doesn’t just say what a fume extraction system should look like, rather it ensures that equipment can consistently and safely capture welding fume at source. By setting requirements for things such as airflow, safety warnings and technical parameter labelling, ISO 21904-1 gives manufacturers and users a clear benchmark for effective fume control.
What does this mean for on-torch extraction?
While ISO 21904-1 does not specify a particular nozzle design, it does set requirements around system design, performance and usage.
For on-torch extraction, key components must be easy to assemble and maintain. It emphasises design principles that reduce operator error, ensuring extraction cannot be easily bypassed or affected by incorrect assembly.
Two-piece or single-piece nozzle design?
Arc offers both two-piece and single-piece fume nozzles, giving users a choice depending on the requirements of their application.
Two-piece fume nozzle: Features separate welding and extraction nozzles. Components can be removed or replaced independently, offering easy maintenance and replacement.
Single-piece fume nozzle: Combines the welding and extraction components into a single nozzle. This reduces the risk of incorrect assembly or missing components, making compliance with ISO 21904-1 easier.
The Arc single-piece fume nozzle
The new single-piece fume nozzle has been introduced as an additional option within the Arc X Fume Series. The integrated design cuts down the risk of set up mistakes and misuse, supporting conformance to ISO 21904-1.
Both two-piece and single-piece fume nozzles remain available from Arc, so users can select the configuration that best suits the welding process and operational requirements.
