My dad was a pipeline welder for a long time. He smoked as well (which definitely hasn't helped his lungs) but I read a couple of years back about how pipeline companies will reuse pipes, including pipes that carried radioactive waste water from wells. Welding a radioactive contaminated pipe sounds like a bad time.
My dad learned he had lung cancer because the tumor migrated to the base of his skull and started damaging his vision until he had a car accident. Then the scans revealed his lung cancer and the migrated tumor. Welding and metalwork for so many years probably played a part in his cancer. They removed 1/3rd of his right lung and now he has a metal plate in his head from getting that tumor removed.
He was 63 when diagnosed, and is a stubborn old Texas Marine who is still around about 5 years later. Overall, I think he spent more time doing other work than welding, but I remember him always talking about any time he welded it always gave him black boogers.
My dad learned he had lung cancer because the tumor migrated to the base of his skull and started damaging his vision until he had a car accident. Then the scans revealed his lung cancer and the migrated tumor. Welding and metalwork for so many years probably played a part in his cancer. They removed 1/3rd of his right lung and now he has a metal plate in his head from getting that tumor removed.
He was 63 when diagnosed, and is a stubborn old Texas Marine who is still around about 5 years later. Overall, I think he spent more time doing other work than welding, but I remember him always talking about any time he welded it always gave him black boogers.