The effects of fume particles given off by the manual metal arc (MMA) and metal inert gas (MIG) welding of stainless steel (SS) and mild steel (MS) were studied on rat alveolar macrophage cultures in vitro. The fumes were generated by welding, and particulate material obtained was collected on membrane filters. The macrophage cultures were exposed to the total dust and to its water‐insoluble fractions. Cell viability and the release of both lactate dehydrogenase and one lysosomal enzyme from the cells to the medium were measured after an exposure period of 24 h. The cyto‐toxic control dust was DQ 12 quartz, and the inert control dust was pure titanium dioxide. According to the parameters studied, SS/MMA and MSIMMA welding fumes were cytotoxic to rat alveolar macrophages. The cytotoxic effect of SS/MMA welding fumes decreased after the samples had been washed with phosphate‐buffered salt solution. The MIC welding fumes of SS and MS had markedly smaller effects on the cells. Diluted solutions of potassium chromate were also tested in order to investigate its role in the cytotoxicity of SS/MMA welding fumes. The results suggest that hexavalent chromium may be responsible for the cytotoxicity of SS/MMA.