BS EN ISO 21904-1:2020

What is ISO 21904-1 about? 

ISO 21904 is a multi-series international standard, that covers the health and safety in welding and allied processes.  

ISO 21904-1 is the first part of a series of documents that defines the general requirements for ventilation equipment used to capture and separate fumes generated by welding and allied processes, e. g. arc welding and thermal cutting. It also specifies the test data to be marked on the capture devices. 

ISO 21904-1 applies to the design and manufacture of parts of the equipment including hoods for welding, ducting, filter units, air movers, systems that inform of unsafe operation, and workplace practices to ensure safe working with regard to exposure. 

Note 1: ISO 21904-1 is applicable to: 

• Local exhaust ventilation systems (LEV) excluding draught tables 
• Mobile and stationary equipment 
• Separation equipment used for welding and allied processes 
• Systems designed and manufactured after its publication 

Note 2: ISO 21904-1 is not applicable to: 

• General ventilation, air makeup, or air movement systems 
• Air conditioning systems and grinding dust. 

Who is ISO 21904-1 for? 

ISO 21904-1 on health and safety in welding processes is applicable to: 

• Machine manufacturers (small, medium, and large organizations) 
• Health and safety bodies (regulators, accident prevention organizations, market surveillance, etc.) 
• Machine users/employers (small, medium, and large organizations) 
• Machine users/employees (e. g. trade unions, organizations for people with special needs) 
• Service providers, e. g. for maintenance (small, medium, and large organizations) 

Why should you use ISO 21904-1? 

Welding and allied processes generate fumes and gases which, if inhaled, can be harmful to human health. Therefore, control of the fumes and gases generated is to be exercised to minimize worker exposure. 

ISO 21904-1 helps you with the guidelines to design and manufacture parts of the welding equipment according to safety standards. It provides guidelines and methods of control, to capture the fumes and gases close to their source before they enter a worker’s breathing zone. 

 ISO 21904-1 establishes safety requirements for equipment useful for capturing and separating welding fume. It is useful for protection against any potential hazards that may arise and is very important for the health and safety of persons employed in welding operations.  

ISO 21904-1 serves the purpose, as inadequate capture can lead to high exposure and be harmful to employees' health. Therefore, it could be helpful for the users that manufacturing and material and design requirements correspond to ISO 21904-1. 

What’s changed since the last update? 

BS EN ISO 21904-2:2020 supersedes BS EN ISO 15012-4:2016, which is withdrawn.