You may think of sawdust as annoying, but you should be aware that it can also be dangerous. Sawdust poses a real health hazard if you don’t pay attention to it. The fine wood particles can affect you in a number of ways:
- Wood dust can irritate skin, eyes, and lungs. Typical reactions include sneezing, coughing, runny nose, rashes, and breathing problems.
- Some species of wood make us more sensitive with each successive exposure. With repeated exposure you may experience stronger reactions like rashes, boils or severe sinus/respiratory inflammation.
- There are wood species that are actually toxic. You need to take particular care identify and handle these species appropriately.
- And then there are carcinogens. Some species of wood have been linked to cancer.
I wouldn’t want to create the impression that working with wood is so dangerous that no one should risk it. You can enjoy woodworking safely. Here are some basic precautions you can take:
- Dust Masks and Respirators – There are a variety of masks available ranging from simple paper masks to cloth masks with exhalation valves. They offer protection but if you are doing a lot of woodworking, you will want a better, long-term solution. Respirators are more permanent masks that use replaceable filters to block the dust. They are usually made of rubber and will form a better seal than paper masks. For people who have more severe allergies there are powered respirators that use battery powered fans to create positive air pressure inside a full dust hood.
- Fans – It helps to have a fan moving air around you while you work to keep the bulk of the dust particles away from your face. Just remember that the air it’s blowing contains dust and can still be hazardous.
- Air Filtration Systems – Powered units that use fans and filters to clean the air in your shop. In addition to making the air more breathable, when you’re done sanding your project and are ready to apply the finish, running the air filter for a while will remove dust particles from the air and keep them from ruining your finish.
- Exhaust Fans – Another option is to simply blow the dust out of your shop. Just be sure you have an adequate source of fresh air so you don’t ‘starve’ the fan. And of course you need to pay attention to where it goes – your neighbor may object to you blowing the dust over to him.
- Dust Collectors and Shop Vacs – Both capture large dust particles and wood chips and keep the shop cleaner. Be sure to match the unit’s capacity to the task at hand and be aware that unless the unit’s filters can block particles down to 3 microns, it will still be returning dangerous dust to the shop’s atmosphere.
This is one case where you should sweat the small stuff. Those small, almost unseen dust particles can damage your health. Take sensible dust precautions and breathe easy!
