Introduction

Welding, cutting, grinding, and other thermal metalworking processes generate complex aerosols composed of metal oxides and particulates. These fumes can contain manganese, chromium (including Cr(VI)), nickel, iron, cadmium, and lead—each with their own toxicological profile and occupational exposure limits. Short-term peaks during certain tasks can exceed time-weighted averages and pose immediate health risks.

AGT Labs provides targeted sampling, accredited laboratory analysis, and interpretive guidance that help organizations measure worker exposure, validate engineering controls (ventilation, local exhaust), and design effective respiratory protection and hygiene programs.

Purpose

Metals and metal oxide fumes generated during welding, cutting, smelting, or machining can cause serious occupational illnesses — including manganism, metal fume fever, and chronic lung and neurological disorders. OSHA and ACGIH prescribe strict exposure limits for airborne metals such as Manganese, Nickel, Chromium, Iron, Cadmium, and Lead.

AGT Labs’ Metals and Welding fume Testing quantifies airborne metals and particulates to ensure compliance, evaluate engineering controls, and protect worker health.

Sources of Metal Fume Generation & High-Emission Welding Activities

Common high-emission activities include:

Arc welding (MIG, TIG, stick) — base metals, consumables, and coatings influence fume composition
Thermal cutting and gouging
Brazing and soldering operations
Grinding, machining, and surface preparation of metal parts
Hot work on painted or coated metals (which may add Cr, Pb, or other contaminants)

Understanding the task, consumable chemistry, and material coating is essential for selecting sampling strategy and interpreting results.

Testing Overview

AGT Labs uses NIOSH Methods 7300 and 7303 (Elements by ICP) for multi-metal analysis. Airborne metal particulates are collected on Mixed Cellulose Ester (MCE) or PVC filters using personal or area samplers. Filters undergo acid digestion followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma – Atomic Emission (ICP-AES) or Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), enabling simultaneous detection of over 30 metallic analytes.

For welding fume characterization, filters may also be examined under microscopy for morphology and size distribution studies. All procedures are conducted in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025, ensuring precision, repeatability, and defensible results.

Testing Options

Personal Breathing Zone Sampling

Worker-specific exposure to total and respirable metal fumes.

Area Monitoring

Ambient air metal concentrations in production or maintenance areas.

Task-Based Sampling

Short-duration sampling during specific high-heat or abrasive tasks.

Welding Fume Characterization

Elemental composition and morphology of fumes from MIG, TIG, or stick welding processes.

Bulk Dust / Slag Analysis

Determines metal content in collected residues or settled dust for housekeeping verification.

Sampling Media & Equipment Supply

AGT Labs provides turnkey sampling kits. Each kit includes:

MCE filters (0.8 µm) in 37 mm cassettes (acid-cleaned, pre-weighed)
Calibrated pumps (1–3 L/min) with flow rotameters or digital calibrators
Acid-washed sampling tubing and filter holders
Field data sheets and chain-of-custody forms
Optional parallel sampling cassettes for Cr(VI) or RCS correlation

All media are supplied in clean, sealed containers with full QA/QC tracking via the AGT Labs Client Portal.

Exposure Monitoring During Welding & Hot-Work Operations

Exposure monitoring should combine personal, area, and task-based approaches to capture both time-weighted and peak exposures. Key practices include:

Breathing-zone sampling during representative shifts and high-emission tasks
Short-duration sampling for task peaks (e.g., weld start-up, grinding)
Use of real-time instruments (particle counters, PIDs for co-pollutants) to identify spikes
Correlation sampling to assess respirable vs. total fractions and Cr(VI) content where relevant
Repeat sampling after control modifications to verify effectiveness

These strategies provide actionable data for engineering controls, work-practice changes, and respiratory protection programs.

Accreditation & Standards

NIOSH 7300 / 7303 OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1020 ISO/IEC 17025 (NABL Accredited) AIHA-LAP – Industrial Hygiene Program ACGIH TLV Guidelines

Deliverables & Value-Added Services for Metals & Welding Fume Testing

Speciated multi-metal and welding fume reports
Correlation with Cr(VI), total dust, and respirable fractions
Long-term exposure trend analysis and CIH consultation
Custom sampling kits for in-field teams

Summary

AGT Labs’ Metals and Welding Fume Testing delivers accurate, defensible results for airborne metals, helping companies comply with OSHA and ACGIH standards. Through validated sampling, ICP analysis, and expert interpretation, AGT Labs enables workplaces to protect employees, optimize engineering controls, and verify fume management systems.

Metals in Air & Welding Fume Testing