Ergonomics and physical working environment for welders.

Welding often takes place in positions the body is not built to hold for hours: bent neck to see into the seam, bent forward back over a low workpiece, or arms lifted above shoulder height when working on high-mounted structures. Individually it is not dangerous — but repeated day after day, year after year, it is one of the greatest sources of wear in the trade.

The Danish Working Environment Authority's guidance on ergonomics is the AT guidance on the ergonomic working environment (VEJ no. 10133 of 1 October 2026). A recurring principle is that work must be planned and organised so that it is possible to vary working posture and movements — because it is the one-sidedness and the fixed posture that cause musculoskeletal disorders over time, not necessarily the individual load.

For large workpieces and assembly work, it is recommended to use rotating clamping devices platforms scaffolding and lifts so the workpiece — not the welder's body — is moved to the good working position. Instead of the welder crawling around a large workpiece in awkward positions the workpiece can be rotated or lifted so the seam can always be made from a position where the back and arms are relieved.

• 01Use adjustable height desks and set work height according to the task, not the other way round
• 02Use rotating clamping devices on large objects so you can weld in a good posture
• 03Switch between tasks and postures during the day, where possible
• 04Take breaks that allow your body to get out of a locked position
• 05Use lifting aids for heavy items and gas bottles instead of lifting manually

BFA Industri (the industry's joint working environment council) has published the guide «Svejsning — viden, værktøjer og gode råd» (welding — knowledge, tools and good advice; September 2023). It brings together knowledge, tools and good advice aimed at this very trade — from ergonomics through fumes and noise to general safety at the welding station. This kind of material is a natural supplement to the Danish Working Environment Authority's general guidance, because it starts from the very concrete situations a welder faces.

Many welders think about ergonomics first when the body already hurts. But just like with welding quality ergonomics is about habits built from the start: adjust the table use the aids and change position before it hurts — not first afterwards. That is the investment that determines whether you can still weld well in twenty years.