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?
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?
Areas exposed to toxic wood dust
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.
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
👉 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.
Use the wood dust extraction system
👉 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.