Some welding and cutting applications have a higher risk of causing fires than others, due to such factors as the amount of oil or other flammable material on the work, high temperatures, excessive spatter or the low flash point of oil and other substances.

In a production environment, it is important to understand the key elements that can cause a fire: 

• Fuel (a combustible substance) can be a mixture of particulates and oil in the ductwork or in the filter itself. 
• The fan of the extraction system supplies fresh oxygen continuously, necessary to support a fire.
• Heat: Potential sources of ignition are sparks, smoldering or burning particles – such as cigarette butts – or spontaneous combustion.

Every factory and application is different, and your fire safety solutions should be customized to meet your specific welding applications and requirements. Guardian™ Fire Safety Solutions are designed to reduce the risk of fires in welding fume extraction and filtration systems. The Guardian™ solution contains multiple components that are divided into three categories – products to prevent, detect and suppress fires.

Prevention - Averting sparks, spatter and dust from reaching the combustible filter cartridge and debris in the dustbin or collection location, preventing potential ignition.

Detection - Early detection by a fire suppression system reduces damage to your filter system and keeps the risk of fire to a minimum.

Suppression - Detection equipment activates the suppression methods, which are designed to suppress and extinguish a fire quickly and reliably.

Lincoln Electric is knowledgeable in the assessment, engineering, installation and servicing and maintenance of weld fume control solutions. The Guardian™ fire safety solution, delivered by Lincoln Electric, offers a customized solution to reduce the risk of fire to a minimum. In the event of a fire, it helps ensure that the resulting damage is minor.

• Reduce the risk of fire to a minimum 
• Detect possible fire starters 
• Suppress the start of fires immediately 
• Reduce system damage to a minimum 
• Minimize replacement, maintenance and filter downtime in case of fire
• Increase the effectiveness and lifespan of your entire extraction system