Wood Dust - Health Effects

Why is wood dust a health concern?

• context Exposure to wood dust has been associated with health issues due to the natural chemicals in wood or substances in the wood, such as bacteria, moulds, or fungi.
• context Wood dust is considered carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). IARC states that wood dust causes cancer of the nasal cavity (nose area) and paranasal sinuses (spaces in and around the nasal cavity) and of the nasopharynx (upper part of the throat, behind the nose).
• context Wood dust is also associated with toxic effects, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, dermatitis, and respiratory system effects which include decreased lung capacity and allergic reactions.
• context NOTE: This document focuses on the health concerns associated with wood dust from untreated wood. Wood dust is also a safety concern because it can cause a fire or explosion. Please see the OSH Answers on Combustible Dusts for more information.

What activities are likely to produce wood dust?

• context Wood dust is created during all stages of wood processing such as sawing, routing, sanding and other operations. Workers can also be exposed when the dust becomes airborne such as when removing dust from furniture, maintenance activities, or when cleaning equipment (e.g., emptying the bag from a dust extraction system or vacuum).

What are examples of the health issues associated with wood dust?

Irritation, coughing or sneezing are caused by the dust itself. Exposure to excessive amounts of wood dust may irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Workers may also experience shortness of breath, dryness and sore throat, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eye), and rhinitis (runny nose). Dermatitis is common and may be caused by the chemicals in the wood. For dermatitis, the skin may become red, itchy, dry, or blister. Allergic contact dermatitis may also develop. Respiratory system effects include decreased lung capacity, and allergic reactions in the lungs such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis (inflammation of the walls of the air sacs and small airways), and occupational asthma. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis may develop within hours or days following exposure and is often confused with cold or flu symptoms because it begins with headaches, chills, sweating, nausea, breathlessness, etc. Tightness of the chest and breathlessness can be severe, and the condition can worsen with continued exposure. Some hypersensitivity pneumonitis conditions may be caused by moulds that grow on the wood (and not by the wood itself). Occupational asthma may also develop. Western red cedar is a wood that has a clear association with the development of asthma. Toxic effects are specific to the species of wood. The chemicals in the wood may be absorbed into the body through the skin, lungs, or digestive system. When the body absorbs the chemical, the chemical may cause headaches, loss of weight, breathlessness, giddiness, cramps and irregular heartbeat. While many species of trees have been associated with health effects, table 1 summarizes the health effects from some common types of wood. Be aware that other products used on or in wood may also have hazards. Resins, pesticides, paint, paint strippers, glues, adhesives, waterproofing compounds, lacquers, varnishes, sealants, dyes, and other products are examples. Always read and understand the safety data sheet associated with these products to make sure they are being used, handled, and stored appropriately.

• context Wood Type | Health Effects
• context Alder (common, black, red) | Dermatitis (black alder); decrease in lung function (red alder)
• context Aspen | No health effects reported
• context Beech | Dermatitis (wood cutter’s disease) due to lichens growing on the bark of beech trees, rhinitis, asthma, nasal cancer
• context Birch | Irritant dermatitis
• context Cedar (western red) | Asthma, allergic contact dermatitis, sensitizer, decrease in lung function, eye irritation and conjunctivitis, rhinitis
• context Douglas Fir | Contact eczema, decrease in lung capacity
• context Fir (grand, balsam, silver, alpine) | Skin irritation, dermatitis, rhinitis, asthma, possible decrease in lung function
• context Hemlock | Skin irritation, decreased lung function
• context Larch (European, western) | Allergic dermatitis from European larch; no reports with western larch
• context Mahogany | Dermatitis, sensitizer
• context Maple | Rhinitis, asthma, Maple Bark Stripper’s disease (mould spores in bark)
• context Oak | Nasal cancer
• context Pine (white, lodgepole, jack) | Skin irritation, contact dermatitis, Wood-pulp worker’s disease (mould in bark), rhinitis, asthma
• context Poplar | Contact dermatitis, sensitizer
• context Rosewood | Eczema, allergic contact dermatitis
• context Spruce | Skin irritation, Wood-pulp worker’s disease (mould spores in bark), decrease in lung function
• context Teak | Toxic, dermatitis, sensitizer
• context Walnut (black) | Skin irritation, rhinitis, possible asthma
• context Yew | Irritation of skin, dermatitis, toxic

What occupations are at increased risk for exposure to wood dust?

Some of the occupations at increased risk for exposure to wood dust include the following: Fine dust that results from the processes such as shaping, routing and sanding are associated with higher exposure levels. Hardwoods generally produce more dust than softwoods when worked in similar conditions. Dry wood tends to produce more dust. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) notes that the chemicals associated with allergic reactions are usually found in the inner parts of a tree, e.g., the heartwood. The workers most often showing reactions are those who do secondary wood processing (e.g., carpenters, joiners, and finishers).

• context Workers employed in logging, sawmills, furniture, and cabinet making
• context Carpenters
• context Cleaning or maintenance staff – activities where wood dust is generated or reintroduced
• context Construction workers
• context Shipbuilding workers

What is the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) recommended exposure limit for wood dusts?

• context ACGIH® TLV® – Western Red Cedar TWA: 0.5 mg/m3 (I), DSEN, RSEN, A4
• context ACGIH® TLV® – All other species TWA: 1 mg/m3
• context ACGIH® Carcinogenicity: Oak and beech = A1; Birch, mahogany teak, walnut = A2; All other wood dusts = A4
• context Exposure Guideline Comments: TLV® = Threshold Limit Value. TWA = Time-Weighted Average. (I) = Inhalable particulate matter. DSEN = Dermal sensitization. RSEN = Respiratory sensitization. A1 = Confirmed human carcinogen. A2 = Suspected human carcinogen. A4 = Not suspected as a human carcinogen.

If required, what respirators are recommended?

Use respirators as part of a personal protective equipment program. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends the following: (APF = 10,000) Any self-contained breathing apparatus that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode. (APF = 10,000) Any supplied-air respirator that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary self-contained positive-pressure breathing apparatus. Escape: (APF = 50) Any air-purifying, full-facepiece respirator with an N100, R100, or P100 filter. Any appropriate escape-type, self-contained breathing apparatus. APF = Assigned Protection Factor Recommendations apply only to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approved respirators. Refer to the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards for more information.

• context Fact sheet first published: 2017-08-03