I'll bet he got a nasty welding sunburn if he did more than some occasional welding that way.
It does take a bit of practice to flip your helmet down without messing up your hand-work alignment. I've seen a few people who make tack welds by closing their eyes without a helmet for the few seconds that takes. But not for running a bead.
Obviously he is protected from the UV radiation by high levels of testosterone and general "manliness".
I wish this was a rare image, but I see it all the time.
As far as UV radiation is concerned, amp for amp, MIG has the highest output since there is no smoke to block any of the arc. Stick is second, and is about the same as Dual-shield or Inner-shield wire. TIG has the lowest UV content, with more visible white light being generated by the excitation of the Argon gas. TIG welding with Helium produces less white light, but more UV.
The problem with TIG is that you are often welding on shiny aluminum or stainless steel, which means lots of reflected arc radiation on unprotected areas, and often people are only wearing long sleeve shirts, thinking they block the arc. Try holding some shirts up to a light bulb and you will be amazed at how much light comes through some fabrics.
I taught welding for 16 years, and dealt with many students sun-burn and arc flash because they underestimated what UV can do.
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.