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Radiation from the Welding Arc - Its Effect on the Eye

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E. van Someren, E. C. Rollason · 1948

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Welding arc radiation intensity equals direct sunlight at the welder's eye, creating significant occupational EMF exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1948 study measured radiation emissions from welding arcs and found they produce the same intensity of radiation at the welder's eye as direct sunlight. Researchers used specialized equipment including vacuum thermopiles and absorption cells made from bull's eye tissue to quantify the radiation exposure. The findings highlighted a significant occupational health concern for welders who face intense electromagnetic radiation during their work.

Why This Matters

This pioneering 1948 research deserves attention because it represents one of the earliest systematic measurements of occupational electromagnetic radiation exposure. The finding that welding arc radiation matches solar intensity at the eye is particularly striking when you consider that welders can be exposed to this level for hours daily, far exceeding typical sun exposure duration. What makes this study especially relevant today is how it demonstrates that intense EMF exposure in occupational settings has been a documented health concern for over 75 years. The researchers' use of biological tissue (bull's eye) as an absorption medium also suggests early recognition that different materials interact with electromagnetic radiation in ways that might be relevant to human health effects.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
E. van Someren, E. C. Rollason (1948). Radiation from the Welding Arc - Its Effect on the Eye.
Show BibTeX
@article{radiation_from_the_welding_arc_its_effect_on_the_eye_g4806,
  author = {E. van Someren and E. C. Rollason},
  title = {Radiation from the Welding Arc - Its Effect on the Eye},
  year = {1948},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

The study found that welding arc radiation reaching the welder's eye is approximately the same intensity as direct sunlight. This represents a significant level of electromagnetic radiation exposure during occupational welding activities.
Researchers used vacuum thermopiles for direct radiation measurements and created specialized absorption cells made from bull's eye tissue placed between quartz plates to study how biological materials interact with welding radiation.
The paper addressed a problem of considerable interest to the welding industry, suggesting that eye damage and other health effects from welding radiation were already recognized as occupational health concerns in the 1940s.
Researchers used bull's eye tissue in absorption cells because eye tissue provides a biological model for understanding how electromagnetic radiation from welding arcs might interact with human eye structures and cause damage.
This 1948 study shows that systematic measurement of welding radiation and its potential health effects has been a scientific concern for over 75 years, predating modern EMF health research by decades.