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Can I Use a Welder if I have a Pacemaker
We are often asked if it is safe for someone who has a pacemaker implant to use a welding machine. This is a complex question which crosses the boundaries from the industrial to the medical, so we're going to refer to some further articles.
What some experts say
Can I Go Near Someone Who Is Welding After Having A Pacemaker Implanted?
- Dr. Brian Olshansky on ABC News
The risks of using a heart pacemaker and welding
- Article by TWI (The Welding Institue) UK
FAQs For Implantable Cardiac Devices: Welding & Chainsaws
- Article by Medtronic USA
Summary
Following is some summary points from the articles referred to above. This is not a complete summary and you should speak to your doctor, read the above articles in full, and do your own research before making any decisions.
Always speak to your doctor and/or cardiologist first and follow their advice.
Welding under any conditions if you have a pacemaker implant will incurr / involve health and safety risks.
However, if you must weld, the following steps may help to reduce (but will not eliminate) the risks involved:
- Keep amperage range under 130A
- Avoid using any welding machines with Pulse function (typically found on some higher-end / professional TIG and MIG machines, however can be found in some Stick/MMA machines as well), or High-Frequency function (typically found on professional TIG machines, and some plasma cutters).
- Keep your clothing (includes gloves and shoes) and work area dry at all times
- There should be at least a 600mm / 2 ft. distant between your pacemaker and the welding arc
- Keep welding cables and the welding machine as far from you as possible. The recommended distance for the welding unit is around 1.5m / 5 feet from where you work.
- Where possible, twist the welding cables together, and ensure that the pacemaker user is not stood in a current loop, with the torch on one side and the return cable on the other.
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This article is intended to provide a guide and reference to other more detailed and authoritative articles on this topic, and should not be taken as expert medical advice. Always consult your doctor and/or cardiologist first and follow their advice. E. & O. E.