People exposed to wood dust regularly run the risk of developing several major health issues. First, it can lead to asthma, which is four times more common in woodworkers than in any other UK workers. In particular, hardwood dust can cause cancer, especially in the nose. The settled dust that contains tiny particles is particularly dangerous to the lungs. It may also lead to specific skin conditions.

Additionally, combustible wood dust can catch fire or explode. Each year, wood dust fires, which typically originate in dust extraction equipment, cause severe damage to or demolition of structures and equipment.

What Operations Cause High Wood Dust Exposures?

When performed daily for long periods, the following woodwork is especially known for producing high levels of dust exposure:

• Sawing, routing, or turning operations on wood.
• Sanding, either by hand or by machine.
• Blowing dust from furniture that is being worked on using compressed air.
• Machined or sanded component assembly by hand.
• Operations involving cutting or treating composite boards, such as MDF.
• Handling and bagging wood dust produced by dust collection equipment or dust extraction systems.
• Sweeping up wood dust from floors or thorough dust removal.  

What Are The Exposure Limits Of Wood Dust?

Due to the potential health risks associated with wood dust, employees must be protected from it according to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations of 2002. Therefore, no WEL (workplace exposure limit) should ever be exceeded. The WEL for hardwood and softwood dust is 5 mg/m3. These are the restrictions put in place on the acceptable levels of dust in the air, averaged during an ordinary 8-hour workday.

How Should Exposure To Wood Dust Be Managed?

COSHH requires woodworkers to conduct an adequate and appropriate risk assessment in every area of the workplace. They must also take action to prevent or appropriately manage exposure to wood dust and provide the necessary safety gear.

How Can Nordfab Help Manage Wood Dust?

Here at Nordfab, we offer a range of solutions, including:

• Extraction hoods to remove wood dust from the workplace.
• Drop out box to stop large wood chips in the airstream.
• For every problem, we have a solution. Contact us today for a safe working environment when working with wood.