Foreword The AWS Safety and Health Committee was established to aid the welding industry in maintaining a safe and healthful working environment. It is responsible for preparing documents@ including standards and recommended practices@ that address all health and safety aspects of the welder's environment. Its members represent many facets of the industrial community: safety professionals@ industrial hygienists@ medical doctors@ and welding engineers. The First Edition of the Safety and Health Fact Sheets@ published in 1990@ brought together 13 Fact Sheets@ each dealing with a safety and health topic@ that were developed over several years by the AWS Committee on Labeling and Safe Practices@ a project committee of the AWS Safety and Health Committee. Some of the Fact Sheets were previously published in the Welding Journal. The Second Edition added seven new Fact Sheets and included revised@ updated versions of the original 13 Fact Sheets. The Third Edition added five new Fact Sheets and includes revised versions of several Second Edition Fact Sheets. The Fact Sheets are intended for use in the preparation of standards and other documents where safety and health information is required.