Danger Dust

Wood dust, especially from hardwood, causes nasal and sinus cancer in woodworkers. Some of the species known to cause cancer include the hardwoods oak, mahogany, beech, walnut, birch, elm and ash. As with formaldehyde, these cancers take years to develop and generally require significant, ongoing exposure for a long period of time.

Wood dust particles tend to settle mostly in the upper airways where they are trapped and can cause eye irritation, nasal dryness or irritation, prolonged colds, nose bleeding and obstruction, sneezing, sinusitis and headaches. Some particles may penetrate deep into the respiratory track causing asthma, chronic bronchitis and hypersensitivity pneumonia.