Question: I've heard that argon can be a dangerous gas to work with in my brazing operations. I don't understand how this can be since argon is known to be an inert gas and appears to be quite safe to use. How can it be dangerous?

Answer: Argon is a heavy gas compared to most other commonly used gases, and it settles down near the ground or goes to the lowest place to which it can move. It is quite common that when large equipment is placed down into large concrete pits/holes in shop floors (due to the height of the equipment) any argon being used in that shop can find its way into the concrete hole/pit and actually fill it up (due to argon’s heavy weight compared to air), as shown in Fig. 1.

If someone were then to climb down into that pit to work on the base of the equipment, he/she would be breathing the argon in that pit and thus begin to starve their brain of needed oxygen. If they remain working down in that pit breathing the argon atmosphere, the brain will eventually use up all its oxygen reserve and simply “shut down,” causing the person to pass out and collapse where they are. If they are not removed from that location quickly, this suffocation can quickly lead to death.

IMPORTANT NOTE: More deaths occur each year from argon poisoning than from all other industrial gases combined! Argon dangers MUST be understood, and proper care must be taken when using argon in any manufacturing operation.

There is NO warning when breathing argon that you are not breathing regular air! Three typical responses people have when asked what would happen if they were breathing only argon are the following.

  1. “Well, if I’m breathing argon instead of air, I’ll probably start choking and gasping for air.” Wrong! The brain merely uses up its oxygen reserve and then shuts down. People who are breathing only argon do NOT start choking and gasping for air.
  2. “If I were breathing only argon, I’m sure I’d start feeling woozy (i.e., start to wobble and lose clarity of thinking or action) and would know I have to get out of there.” Once again, NOT true. People continue to work as if nothing is wrong at all until their brain turns off and they instantly collapse to the ground.
  3. “If I were breathing only argon, I’d instantly know due to its odor.” Not true. Argon has no odor. Neither does hydrogen or nitrogen or helium, etc. We erroneously think that because we can readily smell natural gas (due to pungent odor that is purposely placed into the gas in order to instantly smell it if it leaks in our homes) that the same must be true for other gases too. No. Argon has no odor, and people breathing it would not realize it.

Many people who were pulled to safety out of places where they had collapsed while breathing only argon have conclusively reported the answers to the three items above. They have confirmed that there is no warning whatsoever of the danger they are in while working in an argon-only atmosphere. Many welders face this every day when welding metals in closed areas (tanks, ship bottoms, etc.) while using argon as a shielding gas for those weldments.

What about you? Is argon a widely used gas in your work environment? If so, beware of its dangers, and take steps to prevent accidental death while using it. A simple oxygen sensor is a valuable tool to have in any low location or pit/hole into which argon could pool. Thus, when oxygen levels become dangerously low, warning lights and warning sounds would issue forth from the sensor to alert people that they are in danger.

 

 

Question: I've heard that argon can be a dangerous gas to work with in my brazing operations. I don't understand how this can be since argon is known to be an inert gas and appears to be quite safe to use. How can it be dangerous?

Answer: Argon is a heavy gas compared to most other commonly used gases, and it settles down near the ground or goes to the lowest place to which it can move. It is quite common that when large equipment is placed down into large concrete pits/holes in shop floors (due to the height of the equipment) any argon being used in that shop can find its way into the concrete hole/pit and actually fill it up (due to argon’s heavy weight compared to air), as shown in Fig. 1.

If someone were then to climb down into that pit to work on the base of the equipment, he/she would be breathing the argon in that pit and thus begin to starve their brain of needed oxygen. If they remain working down in that pit breathing the argon atmosphere, the brain will eventually use up all its oxygen reserve and simply “shut down,” causing the person to pass out and collapse where they are. If they are not removed from that location quickly, this suffocation can quickly lead to death.

IMPORTANT NOTE: More deaths occur each year from argon poisoning than from all other industrial gases combined! Argon dangers MUST be understood, and proper care must be taken when using argon in any manufacturing operation.

There is NO warning when breathing argon that you are not breathing regular air! Three typical responses people have when asked what would happen if they were breathing only argon are the following.

  1. “Well, if I’m breathing argon instead of air, I’ll probably start choking and gasping for air.” Wrong! The brain merely uses up its oxygen reserve and then shuts down. People who are breathing only argon do NOT start choking and gasping for air.
  2. “If I were breathing only argon, I’m sure I’d start feeling woozy (i.e., start to wobble and lose clarity of thinking or action) and would know I have to get out of there.” Once again, NOT true. People continue to work as if nothing is wrong at all until their brain turns off and they instantly collapse to the ground.
  3. “If I were breathing only argon, I’d instantly know due to its odor.” Not true. Argon has no odor. Neither does hydrogen or nitrogen or helium, etc. We erroneously think that because we can readily smell natural gas (due to pungent odor that is purposely placed into the gas in order to instantly smell it if it leaks in our homes) that the same must be true for other gases too. No. Argon has no odor, and people breathing it would not realize it.

Many people who were pulled to safety out of places where they had collapsed while breathing only argon have conclusively reported the answers to the three items above. They have confirmed that there is no warning whatsoever of the danger they are in while working in an argon-only atmosphere. Many welders face this every day when welding metals in closed areas (tanks, ship bottoms, etc.) while using argon as a shielding gas for those weldments.

What about you? Is argon a widely used gas in your work environment? If so, beware of its dangers, and take steps to prevent accidental death while using it. A simple oxygen sensor is a valuable tool to have in any low location or pit/hole into which argon could pool. Thus, when oxygen levels become dangerously low, warning lights and warning sounds would issue forth from the sensor to alert people that they are in danger.