Dust Exposures in the Wood Processing Industry

Workers at four different woodworking processes-two logging sites, four sawmills, one major woodchipping operation, and five joineries situated in the state of New South Wales in Australia-were studied for personal inhalable dust exposures (N=182). The geometric mean exposure at logging sites was 0....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American Industrial Hygiene Association journal 1999-09, Vol.60 (5), p.641-646
Main Authors: Alwis, Udeni, Mandryk, John, Hocking, Ailsa D., Lee, John, Mayhew, Trevor, Baker, Warren
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air Pollutants, Occupational - analysis
Analysis of covariance
Analysis of Variance
Applied sciences
Asthma
Atmospheric pollution
Cancer
Compressed air
Dust
Employment
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Exact sciences and technology
Forest products industry
Humans
Indoor pollution and occupational exposure
inhalable dust
Job titles
joinery
logging sites
New South Wales
Occupational Exposure - analysis
Occupational safety
Pollution
Respiratory Protective Devices - utilization
Sawmills
Statistical analysis
Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Timber
Variables
Variance analysis
Ventilation
Wood
woodchipping
Woodworking
Workers
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Summary:Workers at four different woodworking processes-two logging sites, four sawmills, one major woodchipping operation, and five joineries situated in the state of New South Wales in Australia-were studied for personal inhalable dust exposures (N=182). The geometric mean exposure at logging sites was 0.6 mg/m 3 (N=7), sawmills 1.6 mg/m 3 (N=93), woodchipping 1.9 mg/m 3 (N=9), and joineries 3.7 mg/m 3 (N=66). Overall, 62% of the exposures exceeded the current standards. Among joineries, 95% of the hardwood exposures and 35% of the softwood exposures were above the relevant standards. A majority of workers (∼90%) did not wear appropriate respirators approved for wood dust, while the ones who did wear them, used them on average less than 50% of the time. The significant determinants of personal wood dust exposures (n=163) were found to be local exhaust ventilation, job title, use of handheld tools, cleaning method used, use of compressed air, and green or dry wood processed. Type of wood processed (softwood or hardwood) was not found to be statistically significant.
ISSN:0002-8894
2163-369X
DOI:10.1080/00028899908984485