Zinc Fume Fever

[boatbuilder]

Well I reckon I've just experienced Zinc Fever. Trust me, don't go there fellas. Get a welding respirator.

Contant headache for 26 hours, high temperature of 38.5, general aches, shivery, feeling hot.
Weld through primer is going in the bin. Only used it for a small bit of welding but I reckon even that was enough to cause the fever. Didn't realise how toxic it is.

Has anhyone else experienced this?

[ajp]

Contant headache for 26 hours, high temperature of 38.5, general aches, shivery, feeling hot.
Has anhyone else experienced this?

anything over 10 pints of cider has the same effect.

[weldore]

i work with galv and when we are at full production i dont get any of the symptoms of galv poisioning but i do get headaches that last around 8 hours(this is with my adflo on but you cant keep the mask down all the time).since work has dropped off i dont get the headaches any more, so you might have...only thing to do is try it again tomoz and see if it happens again

[boatbuilder]

well, its either the zinc or I had some kind of short term flu. Just think its too much of a coincidence that I was welding with the weld through the morning the symptoms started. Makes you stop and think how important your health is!

[Titus A Duxass]

My brother thinks he had it but the doctors reckon it was legionnaires disease as he was cutting up old air conditioning ducts.
He was pretty bad for a few days and hospitalised.

[jamesc76]

what sort of mask you got and what method you using to weld ???

[boatbuilder]

Mig welding with argoshield light.
In a garage with a flip-up welding visor. Wasn't wearing a respirator. Stupidly noticed the plume of silvery smoke just after welding. Suspected it was something to do with the weld through primer but for some reason I took a whiff.

[weldore]

have a goosey at this

http://www.sperkoengineering.com/html/a ... anized.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

sounds like you were exposed to it and caution should be taken when welding onto it.we have mask airflow systems at work and these are a poor solution if there is no proper fume extraction system in a work area with no through flow of air.when you are finished welding you dont leave the mask down,you lift it up to see your weld,thus exposing yourself to the fumes

a particle mask however might be the answer

[Oldiebut goodie]

Interesting point in that publication:

"It should be noted that any compressed air supply has to be "oil-free" air; normal shop air contains oil which, if inhaled, will
coat the lungs in a short period of time, causing irreversable (sic) death"

What other deaths are there!!!!