Leather Welding Clothing & Safety

The two types of materials most commonly used in welder protective apparel are chrome tanned leather and specially treated flame-resistant cotton. Today, let's focus on leather protective apparel for welders. Leather overgarments and gloves are best at resisting heat and sparks. Chrome-tanned leather works better than leather tanned by other methods.

Note: Photo from www.northerntool.com.

Leather is durable and will last several years if dry cleaned regularly after the garment becomes noticeably stiffened from accumulated dirt and grime. It's also heavy and hot, making working in it more difficult -- if safer -- than cotton clothing, even treated cotton.

Chrome-tanned leather, invented in 1858, is tanned using chromium sulfate and other salts of chromium. It is more supple and stretchier than vegetable-tanned leather, and does not discolor or lose shape as drastically in water as vegetable-tanned. Protective clothing should not be considered as a replacement for engineering control methods Since the clothing is the last line of defense for skin protection, care must be taken to ensure it provides the protection expected.

What can you wear in terms of protective leather welding clothing?

Gloves: Chrome tanned gloves tend to be supple and soft, allowing easy finger movement while resisting heat, sparks, slags, and cuts. Get a good pair. The last thing to skimp on is gloves. Your hands have to be able to move well, but also have to be protected. Gloves should be flexible as well as protecting you from heat.

Jackets & coveralls: leather welding jackets are heavy things, but if something goes wrong, you'll be happy you wore it. For heavy-duty protection there isn't much that's better for your torso and stomach. Look for larger, Kevlar stitches, heavy rivets, and plenty of versatile pockets. Should have closable snaps at sleeves, collars. The downside? A typical leather jacket weighs 6 pounds, which feels a hell of a lot heavier when you're welding.

Aprons: Can supplement your other clothing.

Spats: protect your boot tops by protecting them from sparks and slag.

Bib screens are great because they attach to the back of hard hats to shield your hair. Since sparks can fly up to thirty feet, you need to be aware that welding going on behind you can be as dangerous to you as welding you're doing on your own. Hoods cover your entire head.