Several technical articles have addressed respiratory diseases associated with welding activities and when a respirator should be used to help prevent these diseases. Once an employer concludes that respiratory protection is the appropriate option for a particular application, the next step is selecting the right respirator.

Weld inspection, weld logging, and weld recordkeeping always have been a part of quality assurance (QA) procedures for certain industries, particularly aerospace, nuclear power, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical.

Many fabricators use standard plasma cutters and abrasives to create beveled edges. Along with these traditional methods, welders also have the option of using three alternative beveling techniques: punch and nibble, peeling and shearing, and milling and routing. Each has advantages and drawbacks.