ESAB G30 Air Parts FAQs
Spares for a flip-front welding helmet prepared for a fresh-air supply: air-duct headgear, visors, shell and sweatbands, and how to check and look after them.
Do I need a face-fit test for a helmet like this?
It depends on whether the facepiece is tight-fitting or loose-fitting. Tight-fitting facepieces rely on a seal to the face, so the wearer needs a fit test for that device and must be clean shaven where the seal sits.
Loose-fitting facepieces, such as hoods, helmets and visors, rely on enough clean air being supplied to keep contaminants out. They are only available as powered respirators or breathing apparatus, and fit testing is not required for them. Most welding helmets with an air supply are loose-fitting, but check your manual and your employer's risk assessment to confirm how yours is classed. If yours is classed as tight-fitting, a fit test is needed.
When is powered or fresh-air protection worth using with a welding helmet?
Where RPE must be worn continuously for long periods, a powered respirator or airline breathing apparatus with a loose-fitting hood or helmet is a better option than a non-powered tight-fitting mask. Continuous wear of a non-powered tight-fitting respirator should be limited, because it becomes uncomfortable and people loosen or remove it.
Whether you need respiratory protection at all, and how much, comes from your COSHH risk assessment, which looks at the process, the metal, any coatings and where you work. Respirators must not be used in oxygen-deficient atmospheres, which need suitable breathing apparatus and professional advice.
What wears on the duct, face seal and helmet parts, and how do I check them?
Check the air duct and any breathing tube for splits, kinks, loose connections and dirt inside, and the face seal for tears or stiffening. Follow your manual for cleaning, because some tubes must not be rinsed, immersed or treated with solvents. Replace damaged parts rather than repairing them yourself, and use the parts your manual specifies.
Reusable RPE should be thoroughly examined and, where appropriate, tested at least monthly, or at least every three months if it is only used occasionally, with a check before each use. Results should be recorded and kept for at least five years. Between those checks, look the equipment over every time you use it.
Can I connect any compressed air line to the helmet?
No. Only connect the supply type and the connecting parts that the maker's instructions allow for your helmet. If the air comes from a compressor, it has to be of breathable quality. Breathing air standards set limits on contaminants like oil, water and carbon monoxide.
A fatal case has been reported where breathing air from a poorly maintained oil-lubricated compressor contained carbon monoxide at many times the allowed limit. The advice is to use a compressor designed for breathing-air supply, drawing in clean air, maintain it as instructed, and monitor CO with an alarm and test the air regularly. Follow published breathing-air guidance and your risk assessment.