Fact: The biggest source of on-the-job injuries among welders is from tripping over objects. I wouldn't say that welding was exactly good for your health, however smoking is FAR worse. The danger from the fumes depends greatly on what process you're using, and the cleanliness of the metal. Welding clean, bright steel is not generally a cause for concern. Fumes produced from welding itself are mostly iron oxide which is non-toxic. However Welding dirty, painted, coated, or oily metals causes the coating to break down into volatile organic compounds (VOC's), some of which may be cancer-causing. You deal with this by making a habit of grinding the weld area clean beforehand. In addition certain processes produce much more smoke and fumes than others. TIG welding, for example, produces virtually no fumes, while old-fashiond stick welding (technically "SMAW") produces large amounts of smoke and fumes. Damage to eyes is not a major concern if you wear proper protective equipment and follow basic safety rules everyday. The biggest danger to the eyes is actually from grinding/sanding and not from welding itself. But since most welders spend lots of time every day using an angle grinder, flying particles are a risk. The best protection is a full face shield and safety glasses underneath. So-called 'double eye protection." Most Companies I've worked for have a company rule of double eye protection during any kind of grinding. It's becomes dangerous if you attempt to 'cut corners' by ignoring safety rules and/or refusing to wear protection.