The welding fume extraction arm should be positioned in a way so that it captures as much of the fumes as possible. Extraction arms only work within a defined area, so positioning is important. First, make sure to extract the fumes away from the breathing zone. Position the arm so that the fumes are not being sucked into the direction of the worker’s face. Ideally, the welding fume extraction arm should be positioned around 12 inches (30cm) diagonally above the welding point. However, unlike soldering fumes, welding fumes cannot be captured directly at the source. So positioning becomes paramount to maximizing user safety while making sure that it’s not a hindrance to their work.