Last updated October 3, 2026.
What this is
California's Proposition 65 requires businesses to warn Californians about exposure to chemicals the state lists as causing cancer or reproductive harm. Welding and metalworking products are on that list more often than not: welding wire, rods and electrodes can contain nickel, chromium, manganese and cobalt; thoriated tungsten contains thorium; some abrasives contain crystalline silica; and in 2026 the state added welding fumes themselves, with warnings required by July 2027. The manufacturers we carry put the warning on their packaging and manuals, and we repeat it here.
The warning
⚠ WARNING: Welding, cutting and grinding products sold on this site can expose you to chemicals including nickel, chromium (hexavalent compounds), manganese, cobalt and crystalline silica, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer, and lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. Thoriated tungsten electrodes can expose you to thorium. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
What it means in practice
The warning doesn't mean a product is unsafe when used as the manufacturer directs. It means California wants you to know the exposure is possible. The same precautions that keep any welder healthy apply: weld in a ventilated space or with fume extraction, keep your head out of the plume, wear the respirator the manufacturer recommends for the process and material, and keep food and drink out of the work area. Each product's manual and safety data sheet have the specifics.
Per-product warnings
Where a manufacturer provides a product-specific Proposition 65 warning, we show it on that product's page. If you're in California and want the warning text or safety data sheet for a specific product before you order, email team@shopmadesupply.com and we'll send it.