December 8, 2003—The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging welders to look for safely designed products that reduce the risk of strains and sprains when buying or renting welding sets. Studies show that welders are particularly prone to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which sometimes result in them having to leave the industry. According to HSE, around 40,000 welding sets are sold annually in the UK, and not all manufacturers have considered safer handling. Advice on how to make the right choice of a welding kit is provided in the new HSE leaflet, Choosing a welding set? Make sure you can handle it (indg390), available free from HSE Books, tel.: 01787 881165 or fax: 01787 313995.
