Which filter shade each welding process needs, what to check on an auto-darkening helmet, the standards for helmets, jackets and gloves, respirators for fume, and PPE rules in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
A welding helmet must have a filter dark enough for the process and current (at least shade 10 for MIG at 60 A and above and for stick above 160 A), give full UV and infrared protection even in its light state, and be worn with flame-resistant clothing, welding gloves and, where fume is not extracted, a respirator. Compare welding PPE and accessories suppliers in the UAE once you know the shades and standards you need.
This guide is for HSE officers, workshop supervisors and buyers kitting out welders. It covers filter shades by process and current, what to look for in an auto-darkening helmet, the standards for helmets, clothing and gloves, respiratory protection for fume, and the import rules in each country. The machines, codes and general fume rules are covered in our welding machine guide for the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Saudi buyers can compare sellers on the welding PPE page for Saudi Arabia.
The arc gives off intense visible light, ultraviolet and infrared radiation. Unprotected exposure causes arc eye, a painful inflammation of the cornea, and can burn the retina, which can lead to loss of vision. That is the short answer to why some welders lose their eyesight. Uncovered skin can get a sunburn-like condition in a relatively short period of welding. Spatter, slag and hot metal add burn risk, and HSE notes that all arc welders using hand-held equipment are at risk of electric shock and electrical burns.
So welding PPE is a system: a helmet with the right filter, safety glasses under it for chipping and grinding, flame-resistant clothing, welding gloves, and respiratory protection where the fume is not controlled at source.
Shade numbers run from light to dark; the higher the number, the less light passes. The US OSHA regulation on eye and face protection, 29 CFR 1910.133, publishes minimum protective shades by process and current, and it is a widely used reference. Selected rows:
| Process | Arc current | Minimum shade |
|---|---|---|
| Stick (SMAW), electrodes under 2.4 mm (3/32 in) | Under 60 A | 7 |
| Stick (SMAW), 2.4 to 4.0 mm (3/32 to 5/32 in) | 60 to 160 A | 8 |
| Stick (SMAW), 4.0 to 6.4 mm (5/32 to 1/4 in) | 160 to 250 A | 10 |
| Stick (SMAW), over 6.4 mm (1/4 in) | 250 to 550 A | 11 |
| MIG/MAG and flux-cored | Under 60 A | 7 |
| MIG/MAG and flux-cored | 60 to 500 A | 10 |
| TIG | Under 150 A | 8 |
| TIG | 150 to 500 A | 10 |
| Air carbon arc cutting (light) | Under 500 A | 10 |
| Plasma arc cutting (light, medium, heavy) | Under 300 A / 300 to 400 A / 400 to 800 A | 8 / 9 / 10 |
| Torch brazing | Not applicable | 3 |
These are minimums. OSHA's rule of thumb is to start with a shade too dark to see the weld zone, then go lighter until you have a sufficient view, without going below the minimum. Electrode sizes in the table are converted from OSHA's thirty-seconds of an inch.
The practical consequence for buyers: a stick welder at 200 A and any MIG welder above 60 A need at least shade 10, and stick above 250 A needs 11. A variable filter that darkens to 13, like the example below, covers every arc welding row in the table; only carbon arc welding (shade 14) needs darker.
A passive helmet has a fixed dark lens: tinted glass or plastic. The welder has to nod the helmet down before striking. An auto-darkening filter (ADF) uses an LCD shutter that darkens when its sensors detect the arc. The first, Speedglas, was introduced in 1981 by Hornell International, now owned by 3M; auto-darkening helmets remove the need to nod the helmet down, which saves time and reduces exposure to harmful light.
The key safety point: a good ADF protects against UV and infrared all the time, not only when dark. The US standard ANSI Z87.1 requires auto-darkening helmets to give full UV and IR protection even in the light state, and helmet maker Optrel states its cassettes give permanent UV and IR protection whether light or dark.
Miller Electric's Digital Elite helmet is a useful example of the figures to compare across brands: variable welding shades 8 to 13, cutting shades 5 to 8 and a light state of 2.5, with half-shade settings; a reaction time of 1/25,000 of a second; four independent arc sensors; a 9.2 square inch viewing area; weld, cut, grind and X-Mode settings; and a replaceable lithium battery with a low-battery indicator.
Saudi Arabia's PPE technical regulation lists the standards it expects, which makes a practical checklist for both countries. For welding it names:
| Item | Standard | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-darkening filters | EN 379 | Personal eye-protection, automatic welding filters |
| Fixed (passive) filters | SASO-ISO-4850 | Personal eye-protectors for welding and related techniques, filters, utilization and transmittance requirements |
| Welding clothing | SASO-ISO-11611 | Protective clothing for use in welding and allied processes |
| Clothing materials | SASO-ISO-9150 and SASO-ISO-9185 | Behaviour on impact of small splashes of molten metal; resistance to molten metal splash |
| Welding gloves | EN 12477 | Protective gloves for welders |
US-made helmets are usually marked to ANSI Z87.1 instead. If a project specification names EN standards, ask the supplier for EN-marked products and the matching certificates.
Ask for clothing certified to ISO 11611 and gloves to EN 12477, and match them to the work: tell the supplier whether the wearer does heavy stick or overhead work, with a lot of spatter, or TIG work, where the welder feeds filler rod by hand and needs dexterity. HSE's basic rules apply everywhere:
Fume control starts with extraction, not masks. The UK Health and Safety Executive, a sound benchmark for Gulf workshops, sets out when respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is needed and which type:
The main guide explains the cancer evidence behind fume control. Extraction equipment and RPE are listed under respiratory protection and personal protective equipment.
Leathers, a helmet and a respirator add to the heat load, and on the UAE coast summer humidity is high: The National, citing the National Centre of Meteorology, puts August's average maximum relative humidity at 72%, with humidity worse in coastal cities such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Plan the work around the heat: the midday outdoor work bans in both countries are summarised in the main guide, and our guide to PPE and heat stress for outdoor work in the Gulf covers breathable and flame-resistant workwear, work-rest planning and cooling.
In the UAE, personal protective equipment is a regulated product under the UAE control scheme for personal protective equipment (Cabinet Resolution No. 3 of 2016), administered by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) through its ECAS conformity service. MoIAT's list of requirements asks for test reports from an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory to the applicable standards, less than three years old, the product label, distributor ownership for traders, and registration on the MoIAT website. Ask the supplier for the MoIAT certificate covering the helmet, gloves or clothing you are buying.
In Saudi Arabia, SASO's Technical Regulation for Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (04-04-18-165) applies. It was approved by the SASO board on 5 July 2018, published in the Official Gazette on 7 December 2018, and amended in January 2021. Its Annex 1 lists the standards in the table above (EN 379, SASO-ISO-4850, SASO-ISO-11611, SASO-ISO-9150, SASO-ISO-9185 and EN 12477), and its product list includes welding goggles. Ask the importer for the SASO certificate of conformity covering each product.
When the list is ready, post your welding PPE requirement so suppliers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia can quote. Helmets and gloves sit alongside machines on the welding equipment page.
More in this series: MIG vs TIG vs Stick Welding, Welding Rods, Welder Qualification and Certification in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Laser Welding Machines.
It depends on process and current. OSHA's minimum shades are 7 for stick or MIG below 60 A, 8 for stick at 60 to 160 A and TIG below 150 A, 10 for MIG and flux-cored at 60 to 500 A, stick at 160 to 250 A and TIG above 150 A, and 11 for stick above 250 A. Start darker and go lighter until you can see the weld, never below the minimum.
Arc light contains intense ultraviolet and infrared radiation. Without a proper filter it inflames the cornea (arc eye) and can burn the retina, which can lead to permanent loss of vision. Prevention is a helmet with at least the minimum shade for the process and current, worn every time the arc is struck.
Yes, if certified. ANSI Z87.1 requires auto-darkening helmets to give full UV and infrared protection even when the filter is in its light state, and European filters are tested to EN 379. Check the certificate, keep batteries charged, and ask for the low-amp TIG rating, since a weak TIG arc may not trigger every filter.
EN 12477, Protective gloves for welders, which Saudi Arabia's PPE regulation lists. Welding jackets, aprons and trousers are covered by ISO 11611, Protective clothing for use in welding and allied processes. In the UAE, the products need MoIAT conformity under the PPE regulation, with accredited test reports to the applicable standards.
Indoors, extraction comes first, and a respirator is needed where extraction does not adequately control the fume. Outdoors, extraction will not work, so HSE expects suitable RPE. For jobs up to an hour, an FFP3 mask or half mask with P3 filter; for longer work, battery-powered air-fed equipment with an assigned protection factor of at least 20.
Welding goggles usually do not have a shade dark enough for arc welding, because an open arc gives off far more light and UV than gas welding. Arc welding needs a helmet with a filter of at least the minimum shade for the process and current, which also shields the face from UV burns.
Featured image: Photo: NAVFAC, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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