UV & Optical Radiation from Welding SWMS
UV and optical radiation hazard from welding arcs — arc eye, welder's flash, skin burn, bystander exposure controls and shade lens selection.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Arc welding processes including MMAW, GMAW, GTAW and plasma cutting emit intense ultraviolet (UV-A, UV-B, UV-C), visible and infrared radiation that exceeds ARPANSA RPS C-1 exposure limits within seconds at typical working distances. Unprotected exposure causes photokeratitis (arc eye/welder's flash) within 6-12 hours, erythemal skin burns resembling sunburn, and chronic exposure is linked to pterygium, cataracts and non-melanoma skin cancer. Bystanders, riggers, supervisors and trades working adjacent to welding operations are frequently exposed because UV reflects off galvanised steel, concrete and stainless surfaces at up to 75 percent of incident intensity. WHS Regulation 2025 Part 4.1 requires the PCBU to identify, eliminate or minimise risks from hazardous energy including non-ionising radiation, and a SWMS is mandatory whenever welding is undertaken in shared workspaces, on construction sites or in proximity to other workers. This SWMS documents shade lens selection per AS/NZS 1338.1, screening, exclusion zoning and the verification steps required to demonstrate compliance.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Photokeratitis with severe pain, photophobia and corneal epithelial damage presenting 6-12 hours post-exposure
Progressive retinal photochemical injury, blue-light hazard burns and cumulative lens opacity leading to cataracts
Indirect arc eye and secondary skin erythema affecting workers who believed they were outside the exposure zone
Multiple-worker arc flash incidents, lost-time injury claims and PCBU breach of consultation duty under WHS Act s47
Painful first-degree burns, blistering and accumulated lifetime risk of squamous cell carcinoma at exposure sites
Secondary slip, trip, burn or struck-by incidents due to compromised situational awareness during the weld
Repeated micro-exposures to unfiltered arc initiation causing chronic arc eye symptoms and worker reluctance to report
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — where design permits, specify bolted, riveted or adhesive-bonded connections in lieu of site welding to remove the optical radiation source entirely
- 2Elimination — relocate fabrication to a dedicated welding bay with permanent shielding rather than performing hot work in occupied or shared construction zones
- 3Substitution — substitute high-UV-output processes such as MMAW and air carbon arc gouging with lower-emission GTAW or resistance welding where the joint specification allows
- 4Substitution — replace open arc processes with submerged arc welding (SAW) on suitable production runs to fully enclose the arc beneath flux coverage
- 5Engineering — install non-reflective welding screens or curtains compliant with AS 3957 surrounding the work zone to a minimum 2 metre height with full perimeter closure
- 6Engineering — provide local exhaust ventilation and matte-finish screening to reduce IR build-up and eliminate specular UV reflection from adjacent surfaces
- 7Administrative — establish a 10 metre exclusion zone with signage, conduct pre-start briefings using this SWMS, and roster welding to low-traffic periods where practicable
- 8Administrative — select shade number per AS/NZS 1338.1 Table 1 matched to process and amperage (e.g. shade 10 below 100A GMAW, shade 13 above 300A), and verify before each shift
- 9PPE — issue AS/NZS 1337.6 certified auto-darkening welding helmets with verified switching speed, leather gauntlets, full-coverage welding jacket, flame-resistant trousers and high-collar shirts
- 10PPE — provide AS/NZS 1337.1 shade 3 or 5 safety glasses for bystanders, supervisors and adjacent trades plus SPF 50+ sunscreen for any residually exposed skin
Applicable Codes of Practice
Imposes the PCBU duty to identify, assess and control optical radiation exposure and to consult workers on the SWMS control measures
Specifies shade number selection matched to welding process and current; the SWMS references Table 1 to justify lens choice per task
Mandates certification marking and impact rating for welding helmets and safety glasses worn by bystanders within the exclusion zone
Defines the 30 J/m² effective UV daily limit and 10,000 W/m² IR limit used to justify screening distance and shade selection
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Although not classified as HRCW under Schedule 1, the PCBU retains primary duty under WHS Act s19, must consult workers under s47, and retain SWMS records; penalties for failure are substantial and indexed annually under the prevailing WHS schedule
Who this is for
- →Welding supervisors on commercial fabrication and construction sites
- →Boilermakers and structural welders working in shared trade zones
- →Site managers coordinating hot work permits on multi-trade projects
- →Maintenance fitters performing on-site welding repairs near other workers
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓State-specific WHS legislation schedule (NSW/VIC/QLD/SA/WA/TAS/NT/ACT)
- ✓Hazard register with risk ratings + hierarchy-of-control mapping
- ✓Worker sign-on register, pre-start checklist, and incident escalation flow
Worked example
On a commercial warehouse fitout, a structural welder is tasked with site-welding a steel mezzanine bracket adjacent to electricians running cable tray three metres away. At the 7am pre-start, the supervisor pulls out the UV & Optical Radiation SWMS and walks the crew through the hazard register, specifically flagging reflected UV from the new galvanised purlins overhead and bystander exposure to the electricians. Using the AS/NZS 1338.1 shade chart referenced in the controls section, the welder confirms shade 11 for the 180A GMAW process. The supervisor and welder erect AS 3957 compliant non-reflective screens to form a three-sided enclosure, mark a 10 metre exclusion zone with bollards and signage, and brief the electricians to wear the shade 3 bystander safety glasses issued from the site store. All workers sign the SWMS sign-on register, recording their name, trade and the date. Mid-morning, a second electrician arrives unaware of the hot work. The welder stops the arc, the supervisor briefs the newcomer using the SWMS, issues bystander glasses and adds the signature before work resumes. At lunch, the welder reports a fogging issue with the auto-darkening lens; the supervisor annotates the SWMS daily review section, swaps the helmet for a tested spare, and verifies switching speed before recommencement. The signed SWMS is filed for the statutory retention period.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- AS 1674 — Safety in welding; Welding Fume CoP