It is common to find blacksmiths, specifically the older ones with scars and burns on their faces and bodies. This common occurrence can only translate into one thing; there are certain occupational hazards and blacksmith health risks.
Of all crafts, blacksmithing is easily one of the most hazardous. The injuries, scars, and burns on the bodies of older blacksmiths are usually gotten throughout their years of blacksmithing. Although blacksmiths often wear many protective coverings, they are usually not enough to guarantee them total safety from hazards.
Blacksmiths are prone to occupational hazards because they have many exposure routes. These exposure routes include the skin, the eyes, the nose, as well as the ear. This piece will provide you with all you need to know about blacksmithing occupational hazards.
Categories of Blacksmith Health Risks
Generally, blacksmith occupational hazards or blacksmith health risks can be categorized into; physical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards.
Chemical Hazards
The chemical hazards involve the release of harmful chemicals from blacksmithing processes. The harmful chemicals also include toxic gases.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards include all forms of physical injuries. It consists of all types of risks that can affect the physical parts of your body. The common parts of the body usually affected include the joints and bones, ear, nose, eyes, etc. Physical hazards are one of the most common blacksmith health risks.
Ergonomic Hazards
Ergonomic hazards are not as rapid as other forms of risks. It might take a relatively long time before you notice the effects and includes potential damage to general body posture and height. It commonly results from working in the same position over a long period with stretching or changing location.
Overall, the sign to identify the hazards in blacksmithing is scars and burns. The unluckier ones have difficulty hearing in one or both ear, and one eye may even be severely damaged.
The occupational hazards posed by blacksmithing are numerous, but here are some of the most common ones:
Joint Injuries
Bone and joint injuries are arguably the most common types of blacksmith health risks. A blacksmith spends a lot of time hammering iron and steel on an anvil. Many times, the anvil does not have an excellent rebound, and they end up doing double the work, which can cause a strain to their elbows and joints.
In this case, it is helpful to get an anvil with an excellent rebound. An anvil with a good rebound paves way for the rebound of the smith’s hammer with similar energy release during the smith’s downward stroke, making your job more comfortable and less strenuous.
Another joint that suffers is the smith’s knees. Blacksmiths spend long hours standing on hard floors, which can put a strain on their knees. A good idea is to wear suitable protective shoes.
Similarly, another way blacksmiths encounter bone and knee problems is by accidentally hitting themselves. Some blacksmiths seldom miss their target while hammering, therefore beating themselves. The palm and fingers are the most prone to this type of hazards.
Moreover, blacksmiths can have a massive tool like a hammer drop on their feet. The impact of the dropping tool can affect the bones and joints on their foot; thus, causing severe injuries.
Protection and Prevention of Joint Injuries
- Ensure that you are carrying out your blacksmithing work when you can give full concentration. Do not forge or hammer when you are dizzy, weak, sick, high or tired.
- Make sure you are only using hammering tools that you can handle properly. Likewise, you should use hammering techniques that are most convenient for you.
- While hitting the chisel or anything that you have to hold with your hand, make sure that you are careful enough not to hit your fingers. You can employ the use of tongs as often as possible.
- You should get an anvil with an excellent rebound to make the hammering process less stressful and productive.
The Risk of Hearing and Sight Loss
The ear and eyes are two high-risk body parts when it comes to blacksmithing. A blacksmith’s eyes get exposed to hot flying metals, which can cause eyes damage. The two parts are arguably the most vulnerable parts to blacksmith health risks.
For instance, brushes of burnt wire, sparks, and other particles can accidentally find their way into your eyes, and they can cause severe damage. Some blacksmiths often make the mistake of thinking that their sunglasses are enough to protect them from such hazards.
No! Your sunglasses won’t work here. You need to get protective goggles with specific designs that suits this purpose.
Similarly, a blacksmith’s ear is also susceptible to damage. This type of hazards and injury often results from the noise arising from repeated hammering or other machine-powered equipment.
For instance, the whine of the grinder and the roar of the forge can leave you completely deaf. Some other type of noise can damage the ear by leaving reverberating sounds ringing in the ear over a long period.
Protection and Prevention of Sight and Hearing Hazards
- Before you start hammering away, make sure to put on protective goggles to protect your eyes from sparks and other tiny particles that might be flying around.
- Always use earplugs to protect your eardrums from the noise of repeated hammering and other loud processes in the workshop.
- You should consider specific eyes and ear protection for a particular type of blacksmithing process.
- You can use a standard face shield to protect your entire face from varieties of dangers.
- Avoid looking directly into forges or naked fire. Likewise, avoid staring at hot metal for a long time.
- Ensure that the safety goggles that you are using can protect you from harmful emissions like UV rays.
Fires and Burns
In a blacksmith’s shop, fires can happen at any time. This potential fire is because blacksmiths constantly work with forges. Forges often make use of fuels like coals and propane and can lead to notable blacksmith health risks.
Whatever the fuel of the forge is, we all know that fires and other hot materials like coals or even metals can cause lethal damage when they come in contact with any part of your body.
You always have to prepare for fires and also ensure adequate care while handling hot materials, including metal and steel.
In cases of burns, you should wear protective clothing to protect your skin from burns. In the case of fire, prevention is better than cure. These preventive measures are essential because the fire outbreak can cause more damage than anyone can imagine.
Protection and Prevention of Fire and Burns
- Always have a fire extinguisher you can easily reach. This precaution should serve as your primary response in case of any form of fire outbreak. The tub of cold water will also help here if you do get burned. Just put the burned part into the water or use ice packs.
- Also, keep your forge a safe distance from any wooden tools or walls.
- Wear a big apron that can cover from your neck to your knees and other blacksmith wear to prevent burns.
- Never wear gloves when hammering, because molten materials can get on them, which can cause bad injuries to your fingers.
- Identify the nearest fire department to you. Make sure you have their contact and reach them as soon as possible if need be.
- Do not keep flammable products like petrol, diesel, or gasoline close to your forge. Keep it entirely away from your workshop if possible.
- You can install a smoke detector in your workshop to help you mitigate the possibility of a fire outbreak.
- Avoid wearing synthetic clothing in the workshop. Use more natural products like cotton or wool.
- Make sure all your electrical systems and wiring are in the right condition by carrying out the routine check.
Smoke and toxic gas poisoning
When working in your workshop, performing your blacksmithing tasks, there may be a production of poisonous smoke which contain gases such as Sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide which are very harmful and dangerous to the respiratory tract.
Carbon monoxide produced from this smoke can be due to incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon, which can compete with the intake of carbon dioxide in the respiratory system. If you are not careful enough, it can lead to headache, dizziness, vomiting and nausea which are major blacksmith health risks. Peradventure the level is high enough over long periods of time might lead to increased risk of heart disease.
One crucial thing you need to know is that, whenever you forge indoors, make sure that there is proper cross ventilation and even a chimney or a flue for smoke and gas to escape. Other gases produced during this process of welding are; Nitrogen, Argon, Hydrogen fluoride, and carbon dioxide.
Constant inhalation of these welding fumes may lead to lung damage, irritation of the respiratory tract, cancer of the larynx, pharynx, lung, and urinary tract. A particular organ of the body such as the kidney, the central nervous system gets affected, some of these gases displace oxygen and cause what is known as suffocation.
Protection and Prevention of Smoke and Toxic gas Poisoning
- It is very paramount for you to take frequent fresh air outside, even if you have a CO detector.
- Because of the presence of carcinogenic substances, toxic compounds, which are majorly from blacksmith raw materials, ensure that you wear a respirator when making use of them.
- Make sure you are not welding in a close or confined area that lacks proper ventilation.
- Ensure that you clean your workshop and welding materials properly before you begin day work, and after you finish the work for the day—this helps to get rid of coatings that may produce toxic exposure levels.
- Make sure you use local exhaust ventilation for in-house welding.
- Wear your face mask anytime you are in your workshop, this helps to reduce inhalation injury.
Metal Fume Fever
When being exposed to fume of certain metals usually zinc within 48hrs, an acute febrile illness associated with the exposure, can be detected. The leading causes of this exposure have been linked to inhaling the fumes from the welding, cutting, or brazing on galvanizing metal.
Exposure also arises due to processes which involves working with hot metals. Some of these processes are; brazing or soldering, galvanized metals welding, zinc alloys smelting and casting.
The individual is known to have influenza type symptoms, which are febrile, aches, nausea, dizziness, myalgia, malaise, etc. the sign tends to start typically within the space of 4-10hrs following the exposure for about 48hrs. It also has to be found to be due to metal intolerance by the body system.
Protection and Prevention of metal fume fever
- Filtration extraction units must be used to extract fumes, and welding smokes from the workshop to engulf these metal smokes and discharge clean air to the working environments.
- A conscious assessment of workspace exposure should be taken by measuring ambient zinc and other metals (e.g., chromium, Nickel, Copper and manganese) fume within the working environment.
- You can also use a respirator to avoid toxic fumes or work in a well-ventilated area.
- Make sure you do not have direct contact with potentially harmful toxic fumes.
- Your best option is to avoid them altogether, so, just avoid galvanized steel.
- Enlightenments and education should be emphasized to the workers regarding the manifestation of the syndrome itself and corrective measures to prevent its development in the body system
Posture Imbalance
Posture is an essential factor in ensuring comfort and balance. It is the position where an individual holds the body while standing, walking, or sitting.
Most blacksmith processes involve maintaining certain positions that demand the backbend. Besides, blacksmiths can use various funny postures in a bid to find a comfortable position during operations and they can lead to major blacksmith health risks.
The body can find itself adjusting to this posture after a long while. Although the postures might seem comfortable for various blacksmithing processes, it can cause disfiguration in regular body alignment.
This bad posture can lead to regular fatigue. It can also cause the body to become stiff and unsuitable for other physical activities like sports.
However, you can prevent this form of hazard by regularly changing postures during operations. Also, regular exercises, body stretches, and body massages will work well in preventing bad posture.
In case you are already experiencing posture imbalance, you can consider some reverse and flexibility exercises. You should also vary your working posture and try adjusting to the normal body posture.
Headache and Migraine
Another health hazard associated with blacksmithing is headache and migraine. This condition is common with blacksmiths that don’t use ear covers.
Hammering is one of the basic processes in blacksmithing. The strong noise from the repeated clashing of two metals can be deafening. Consequently, it can cause a headache.
Repeating this action can cause the headache to become persistent; hence, leading to migraine. Migraine can be so uncomfortable, and in extreme conditions, can be life-threatening.
The best thing to do in this case is to seek prompt medical advice. Take the necessary medications and other precautions.
You can take a few weeks off and fully recover from this condition. Using earphones will also mitigate the amount of noise that gets to affect you.
Cuts
Cuts are quite common in blacksmithing, especially if you are forging sharp materials like swords and knives. You can even get cuts while working with tools like a chisel, grinders, and so on.
There are several types of cuts, and it can happen to any part of the body. But the most vulnerable parts to cut are the hand, palm, and fingers.
Cuts can be a slight injury or life-threatening, depending on the depth of cut, the part that cuts, and your treatment measures. The first thing to do when you experience a cut is to visit your first aid box.
Ensure to stop the bleeding and mitigate the pains. Also, it is essential to cover up the cut and prevent dirt from getting into it. Next, seek proper medical attention to get proper treatment.
To prevent cuts, you should use your hand gloves to protect your hands. And be careful while working on or working with sharp objects.
Skin Wrinkles
It is common to find blacksmiths with wrinkled skin at an early age. This wrinkled skin is often a result of frequent exposure to excessive heat. The smoke that comes out of the forge is another causative factor.
The bad part of this hazard is that it takes time to manifest. It will build up and damage the skin over time and it is one of the most minimal blacksmith health risks.
However, the consolation is that this condition is not life-threatening. It will only make you appear older than your age.
You can prevent this hazard by ensuring proper ventilation in your workspace. You can also mitigate the direct exposure of your skin to fumes and smoke by using appropriate coverings.
If you are already experiencing this condition, consider the use of various skin treatment options. Visiting a dermatologist and taking some time off will help as well.
Heat Rash
Heat rash is also called prickly heat. It is a result of several exposures to heat in a moisture environment. The heat from the forge can raise the environmental temperature and increase the moisture of the shop.
Heat rash is usually characterized by an itchy rash of little red spots in various parts of the body, particularly the face, back, thighs, neck, and chest. Heat rash is usually not life-threatening except when there are complications.
The best way to prevent this is to ensure proper ventilation in your workshop and use the only suitable forge. Use appropriate medications if you are already experiencing heat rash.
Dehydration
Dehydration is nothing fatal, but it is still one of the notable mentions of the hazards involved in the blacksmithing occupation.
It is caused by prolonged exposure to heat, and it is marked by sweating and vomiting. Other notable symptoms include excessive thirst, exhaustion, and nausea.
To prevent this condition, ensure that you drink enough water throughout the day; if you feel any of these symptoms, move to a well-ventilated environment, drink enough water, and get some rest.
Heat Stroke
Heatstroke is another health hazard associated with blacksmithing. Blacksmiths are vulnerable because of constant and excessive exposure to heat.
It results from long-term exposure to heat, and it is usually acute. Heatstroke can be life-threatening without prompt actions. Common symptoms include high body temperature, hot skin, and dry skin.
Common ways to prevent heatstroke are ensuring proper ventilation in your workshop and mitigating the amount of heat emission from your forge.
Acclimatization
The blacksmith health risks are not limited to, physical implications. It can also be psychological. Acclimatization is a form of psychological reaction that follows long exposure to heat.
Frequent exposure to extreme heat can affect a part of the brain. It causes the body to sync and gets used to the hot environment.
Acclimatization enhances long-term heat damage to the body. It makes an individual vulnerable to other hazards that are associated with heat.
The best way to prevent this condition is by taking frequent breaks from the hot environment, even during operation.
Lung Damage
Lung damage is another long-term hazard associated with blacksmithing. It results from the frequent inhalation of fumes and other toxic gases.
The worst part of this hazard is that you might not feel the impact until it becomes severe. Likewise, the effect can be fatal if proper care is not taken.
The best way to prevent lung damage is to ensure proper ventilation within your workspace. The use of respirators is another effective way to prevent this hazard.
In this case, prevention is better than cure. Getting medical care for lung damage is cost-intensive and unaffordable.
Mechanical injuries
Mechanical injuries can come in various forms, and blacksmiths are prone to a lot of them. This level of vulnerability is because most blacksmithing processes involve mechanical efforts. Likewise, they deal with heavy metals and hammers.
An example of mechanical injury is a blacksmith that accidentally hits his finger during hammering. Another scenario is a heavy metal dropping on a blacksmith’s leg.
The best way to prevent mechanical injuries is to ensure all blacksmith safety precautions. Use protective elements like gloves, safety boots, aprons, and so on.
Conclusion
Lastly, from all this information, you must have seen that occupational hazard is an essential part of proper work ethics as a blacksmith; they need to be put into consideration at every minute, when working and when not working.
Appropriate measures should be in place to keep all this at the tip of the finger and ensure minimal blacksmith health risks. Evaluation of actions should also be frequently ensured to be confident of its validity and reliability.
As you are working tirelessly on your blacksmith shop, it is imperative to have the well to do knowledge on this occupational hazard (physical, chemical, ergonomics), and ways to prevent and control it.
Though there are lots more hazards, like scrapes, cuts, crushed fingers, low back pain etc. But these are the most common of them all. Most of the other risks can be prevented by the solution mentioned here. So be careful and protect yourself.