What is wood dust? How is wood dust harmful to human health?

June 20, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Wood dust is an extremely toxic impurity and hurts human health. Where does wood dust come from? Why is wood dust harmful to human health? Find out below.

What is wood dust?

Wood dust is a collection of small-sized dust particles, generated during the process of cutting, sewing, sewing, and polishing wood from machinery and equipment. They often arise in wood factories, furniture factories, etc.

Effects of wood dust on the environment

A large amount of wood dust arises from wood factories and workshops. If they are not collected and disposed of. Directly dispersing a large amount of wood dust into the environment. From there, they cause environmental pollution in the surrounding area.

Directly affects the living environment of organisms. And directly affect the health of the people living around.

Why is wood dust a human health concern?

Exposure to wood dust can lead to health problems. Because in the wood there are bacteria, mold, and natural chemicals found in wood.

Wood dust is small in size and easily penetrates the eyes, nose, and mouth. Causes eye diseases such as red eyes, eye inflammation, and eye irritation. They easily penetrate the ear, obstruct hearing, and cause otitis media.

According to research by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), wood dust is classified as a group 1 carcinogen. IARC states that wood dust can cause cancer in the nasal cavity, sinuses, and throat. Wood dust entering the human body causes respiratory inflammatory diseases, which can reduce lung capacity and allergic reactions in the lungs, asthma.

In another review in 2015, 10 other studies found a significantly increased risk of lung cancer with wood dust exposure. People exposed to wood dust have at least a 20% higher risk of disease than the general population. People who work in the wood industry have a 15% higher risk of disease than the general population.

Below is a table showing the health effects of some common woods.

Wood Type	Affect
Skimmed wood	Causes inflammation of the skin, impaired lung function.
Cedar	Side asthma, atopic dermatitis, impaired lung function, rhinitis, eye inflammation, eye irritation.
Beech	Dermatitis, rhinitis, asthma, nasal cancer
Oak wood	Nose cancer
Pine	Rhinitis, asthma, skin irritation, atopic dermatitis
Yew	Toxicity, skin irritation, dermatitis
Douglas Fir	Reduced lung capacity
Fir (grand, balsam, silver, alpine)	Dermatitis, skin irritation, rhinitis, asthma, impaired lung function

Occupations with a high risk of exposure to wood dust

Workers in the following occupations are at high risk of exposure to wood dust as follows:

● Wood sawing factory workers, carpenters

● Wood polishing workers

● Shipyard workers

● Workers at pulp and paper mills

● Furniture maker

Occupations that directly use wood as a manufacturing material are occupations with a high risk of workers being exposed to wood dust. Not only does it increase the risk of health problems, but wood dust directly affects the productivity of workers. During the woodworking process, wood dust is dispersed a lot, obstructing the vision of workers. They make employees less productive.

🔰 USEFUL INFORMATION

📣 What is metal dust? Danger caused by metal dust

📣 What is industrial dust? Is industrial dust dangerous?

How to limit exposure to wood dust?

To limit wood dust and limit exposure to wood dust:

👉 Find out if the wood produces hazardous amounts of wood dust. If that type of wood has wood dust that affects health, it can be replaced with another type of wood that has no effect or little effect on health.

👉 Limit wood shaping to limit the generation of wood dust.

👉 Use sharp tools and blades. When using less sharp blades, they can create more wood dust.

👉 Use protective equipment for workers in the wood workshop. Examples: safety glasses, protective masks, and work clothes to avoid contact with wood dust.

👉 Wood factories and workshops need to install wood dust collection and extraction systems. To limit the spread of wood dust around. The collection of wood dust can help the factory reuse wood dust, saving costs for businesses.

👉 Avoid using a dust blower to limit the spread of wood dust around.

👉 Clean, do not let wood dust accumulate on the surface of machines, lights, and other areas in the workshop. Because wood dust can easily cause fire or block machinery operations due to too much wood dust.

Above, System Fan Global Group provides some information about wood dust and its harmful effects on human health and the environment. Hope the above information brings many useful things for readers.