Welding PPE Checklist: The Safety Equipment You Need From Head to Toe
Your welding safety equipment list covers you top to bottom: a welding helmet with the right shade, an FR cap or hood, an FR jacket or leathers, welding gloves, cuffless natural-fiber or FR pants, leather boots, hearing protection, and ventilation or a respirator where fumes call for it. On the job, your employer's hazard assessment decides the welding PPE a specific task requires.
Your Welding Safety Equipment Checklist, Head to Toe
Here's PPE for welding broken down by body zone, with a column for what changes from one process to the next.
| Zone | What to wear | Protects against | Adjust by process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eyes and face | Welding helmet or hand shield with the correct filter shade | Arc radiation, heat, spatter | Shade changes with process and amps; see the shade table below |
| Head and neck | FR cap or hood; the helmet covers face, neck and ears | Sparks, spatter | Same for every process |
| Lungs | Ventilation first; a respirator when the hazard assessment calls for one | Fumes, gases | Set by the hazard assessment |
| Ears | Earplugs; earmuffs for very noisy tasks | Noise | High-velocity plasma is a very noisy task |
| Torso and arms | FR cotton jacket, leather jacket, or leather sleeves with a bib | Sparks, spatter, UV and IR | Leather where spatter is heavy; FR cotton is another option for lighter work |
| Hands | Welding gloves matched to the process | Heat, spatter, cuts | Thin and tight for TIG; thick insulated leather for MIG and stick |
| Legs | Cuffless FR or natural-fiber pants; an apron for spatter-heavy work | Sparks, spatter | Pant legs over boot tops |
| Feet | Leather boots that come above the ankle; safety toe where required | Molten metal, falling objects | Same for every process |
| Work area | Screens or curtains, welding blankets, combustibles cleared | Arc radiation reaching bystanders, fire | Same for every process |
Whether you're putting together MIG welding safety equipment for a garage or a stick kit for a crew, the core list stays the same and the details shift with the process. Each section below covers the rule or recognized practice behind a row.
What OSHA Requires for Welding PPE
When you weld, what safety equipment does OSHA require? Here are the core rules, with the section of 29 CFR each one comes from.
- Helmets or hand shields for arc welding and arc cutting, with submerged arc excepted. Helpers and attendants also need proper eye protection (1910.252(b)(2)(i)(A)).
- Helmets and hand shields have to protect the face, neck and ears from arc radiation (1910.252(b)(2)(ii)).
- Workers exposed to welding, cutting or brazing hazards must be protected by PPE under 1910.132, and the clothing needed depends on the size, nature and location of the work (1910.252(b)(3)).
- Employers must assess the workplace for hazards, select PPE that fits each affected worker, and certify the assessment in writing (1910.132(d)).
- Employers provide required PPE at no cost. Exceptions include non-specialty safety-toe footwear, prescription safety eyewear that can be worn off the job, and everyday clothing (1910.132(h)).
- Workers must be trained on when PPE is needed, which PPE is needed, how to wear it, its limits, and its care and useful life (1910.132(f)(1)).
You can read the full text in OSHA's welding standard and the general PPE standard.
OSHA rules bind employers. If you weld at home, treat them as recognized best practice, not law. At work, your employer's hazard assessment decides the PPE a specific job requires.
Does OSHA require FR clothing for welders?
It depends on the hazard. In a January 12, 2012 letter, OSHA said that if welders are exposed to flash fires or short-duration flame exposures, it expects employers to provide FR clothing and make sure it's used.
So the expectation is tied to that exposure, not to every welder. The same letter also noted heat stress and suggested lightweight breathable fabrics, cool fluids and work/rest cycles.
Eyes, Face and Head
Welding helmets and lens shade numbers
A filter's shade number tells you how dark the lens is. The higher the number, the darker the lens. OSHA sets a minimum shade for each process and arc current range.
| Process | Arc current (amps) | OSHA minimum shade |
|---|---|---|
| Stick | Under 60 | 7 |
| Stick | 60 to 160 | 8 |
| Stick | 160 to 250 | 10 |
| Stick | 250 to 550 | 11 |
| MIG and flux-core | Under 60 | 7 |
| MIG and flux-core | 60 to 500 | 10 |
| TIG | Under 150 | 8 |
| TIG | 150 to 500 | 10 |
| Plasma arc cutting | Under 300 | 8 |
| Plasma arc cutting | 300 to 400 | 9 |
| Plasma arc cutting | 400 to 800 | 10 |
The table comes from OSHA's eye and face protection rule. Its rule of thumb: start with a shade too dark to see the weld zone, then go lighter until you can see clearly, without going below the minimum.
The eye protection standard behind helmet and lens markings is ANSI Z87.1. OSHA's eye rule references the 1989, 2003 and 2010 editions, and the current edition is ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020, published April 2020.
Caps, hoods and what's under the helmet
Your helmet is there to shield your face, neck and ears from arc radiation, but sparks and spatter can still land in your hair or find the gap at the back of your neck. An FR cap or hood covers that.
Pick one in natural fiber or FR fabric, not a synthetic.
Welding PPE Clothing: Jackets, Sleeves and Aprons
Your outer layer should be FR fabric or a natural fiber such as wool, leather or cotton. Skip synthetics: they melt as they burn and can stick to skin.
Leathers give the best spatter protection. You can wear them as a full jacket, or as sleeves with a bib if you want coverage where the spatter lands without a full jacket. Browse our leather welding gear to see what fits your work.
If your work throws less spatter, FR cotton is another option. You'll find FR cotton styles among our flame-resistant welding jackets.
For spatter-heavy bench work, an apron adds a layer over your front and legs.
FR means flame resistant, not fireproof. FR clothing helps protect you and lowers your risk, but it doesn't remove it.
Still weighing materials? You can compare leather, FR cotton and hybrid clothing in our buyer's guide.
Welding safety tips for what not to wear
- No synthetic outer layer, such as a nylon or polyester jacket thrown over your gear.
- No pant cuffs or open front pockets. Both catch sparks.
- No open collar or unbuttoned sleeves. Button both.
- No oil or grease on your clothing.
- No hook-and-loop closures on coveralls. Pick coveralls that zip or button.
- No pant legs tucked into boots. Wear them over the boot tops.
Hands: Match Your Welding Gloves to the Process
The right glove depends on how you weld. Here's how American Welding Society (AWS) guidance from November 2023 sorts it by process:
- TIG or low-amperage work: a tight-fitting goat, deer or sheepskin glove, so you keep a feel for the torch and filler.
- MIG, stick and air carbon arc: thick, insulated leather with melt-through and cut resistance.
- High-amperage flux-core or pulsed MIG: a heavier-duty glove.
Look for coverage over your hand, wrist and lower forearm. A welding glove can fit over or under your sleeve, so check that no skin shows between the two when you reach.
If you run more than one process, you may want more than one pair.
Legs and Feet
Cuffless FR or natural-fiber pants cover the lower half, with an apron on top when spatter is heavy. Leather boots that come above the ankle help protect against molten slag. Wear your pant legs over the boot tops so sparks and slag are less likely to drop inside.
OSHA requires protective footwear where your feet face falling or rolling objects, objects piercing the sole, or electrical hazards (1910.136). Whether you need a safety toe comes from the hazard assessment for your job.
Lungs and Ears
Fumes: Start with ventilation that moves fumes and gases away from your face. When the hazard assessment calls for a respirator, wear one selected and fitted for you.
Noise: OSHA's noise limit is 90 dBA as an 8-hour time-weighted average, and the hearing conservation action level is 85 dBA in general industry. Construction rules differ.
For hearing protection, earplugs suit general welding. Earmuffs suit very noisy tasks like high-velocity plasma. If you're not sure where your shop's noise level sits, that's a question for the hazard assessment too.
Protect the Area Around the Weld
Safety equipment in welding isn't only what you wear. The space around the weld needs protection too, for the people nearby and for anything that can burn.
- Where the work permits, weld in a booth or behind noncombustible screens (1910.252(b)(2)(iii)).
- Booths and screens must allow air circulation at floor level.
- Nearby workers must be shielded or wear eye protection.
- Where practical, move combustibles at least 35 ft from the work (1910.252(a)(2)(vii)). That's a clearance distance, not a measure of how far sparks travel.
- Where a fire watch is needed, it continues at least 30 minutes after welding or cutting ends (1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(B)).
Welding screens help shield coworkers and passersby from the arc. For anything you can't move out of the way, welding blankets let you cover it where it sits.
For Shop Owners: Outfitting a Crew
If you run a crew, federal general industry rules put three jobs on you as the employer:
- Assess the hazards, select PPE that fits each worker, and certify the assessment in writing.
- Provide required PPE at no cost, with the exceptions listed above.
- Train workers on when PPE is needed, what to wear, how to wear it, its limits, and its care and useful life.
State plans and construction rules can differ, so check the ones that apply to you. For a broader reference, ANSI Z49.1:2021, "Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes," is the consensus welding safety standard, with sections on eye and face protection, clothing, noise and respiratory protection.
When you're ready to kit out the team, see our crew and bulk orders page or call us at 1-800-280-0563.
Welding PPE FAQ
What is the purpose of wearing PPE while welding?
PPE reduces your exposure to arc radiation, heat, sparks, spatter and noise. It lowers your risk; it doesn't remove it. OSHA ties the clothing needed to the size, nature and location of the work.
What lens shade do I need for MIG, TIG or stick?
OSHA's minimums depend on process and amps. For example, MIG at 60 to 500 amps has a minimum of shade 10, and stick at 60 to 160 amps has a minimum of shade 8. Start with a shade too dark to see the weld zone, then go lighter until you see clearly, without going below the minimum.
Can I weld in a cotton T-shirt or jeans?
A plain T-shirt or jeans isn't flame resistant. Cotton is a better choice than synthetics, which melt as they burn and can stick to skin, but for welding you're better covered with an FR or leather outer layer. At work, the hazard assessment decides what's required, and where welders face flash fire or short-duration flame exposure, OSHA expects employers to provide FR clothing.
Who pays for welding PPE?
Under federal OSHA general industry rules, the employer provides required PPE at no cost. Exceptions include non-specialty safety-toe footwear, prescription safety eyewear that can be worn off the job, and everyday clothing. State plans can differ.
Do welders need hearing protection?
When noise reaches OSHA's levels, yes: the action level is 85 dBA and the limit is 90 dBA as an 8-hour time-weighted average in general industry. Earplugs suit general welding, and earmuffs suit very noisy tasks like high-velocity plasma.
Ready to fill the gaps on your list? Start your kit with our welding safety collection.