Thread: IMPORTANT - re: HEALTH INFORMATION.

I'm preparing a presentation for a group of wood workers and looking at the latest info on the health effects of dust exposure and this is something that all woodies should know about.

As of 2017 ALL dust is now implicated as being a major health risk and is the 5th leading cause of death worldwide.

Previously "acceptable" levels of dust exposure are now known to be some 25x too high, especially for seniors, children and those with exciting health conditions.

As well as respiratory cancers, dust has conclusively been linked to respiratory infections, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, stroke and a wide range of other cancers.

Dust contributes to "General systemic inflammation"

1. Fatty liver disease
2. Endometriosis
3. Type 2 diabetes mellitus
4. Type 1 diabetes mellitus
5. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
6. Asthma
7. Rheumatoid arthritis
8. Obesity
9. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases

And if you already have any of these conditions further dust exposure will make them worse.

High dust exposure has also been linked to reduced IQ scores, impaired cognition, psychiatric disorders such as depression. and poor perinatal health.

Bear in mind, fellas, that exposure to wood dust & other noxious agents in our sheds are hazards we should strive to avoid or minimise, but do also take stock of your entire lifestyle as well. Modern lifestyles are a big contributor to diseases that involve inflammatory dysfunction, especially our increasing addiction to high-calorie foods & aversion to physical exercise....

And there are several distinct ways wood dust can get us. There are woods like Cooktown ironwood that contain pretty potent metabolic toxins. With such chemicals, the effect is proportional to the dose, and you usually need to ingest or breathe in fairly substantial amounts to cause acute symptoms. Others contain compounds that cause sensitisation in susceptible people, and that's nasty because the effects can be out of all proportion to the dose. For those unfortunate enough to be severely afflicted, the merest whiff or contact could send them rushing for medication or to hospital! Then there are the more insidious long-term effects of certain dusts which affect the substance of your lungs so they are no longer as elastic as they should be - not a nice way to spend your last years. Finally, there are carcinogens, i.e. compounds that can lead to cancers. These are the most feared, but also most controversial effects because it's mostly a matter of association, with exposures over many years being involved and the effects of other environmental factors, which undoubtedly play a part can't usually be taken into account & quantified.

While I encourage sensible precautions in your sheds, don't get too paranoid. For amateurs who don't spend every working day around wood dust there are equally good things you can do that could help extend your shed life, like getting plenty of exercise & having a moderately healthy diet....

Just a thought...

Cheers,

PS: Bob, most readers of this forum are unlikely ever to suffer from endometriosis.....

After years of reading warnings and other forums around health and optimal dust extraction i finally bit the bullet and picked up a 3M versaflow enclosed respirator dust shield. I do have a 2HP dusty for chip collection and im still researching the ideal cyclone replacement for it that's actually viable within Aus, but until that time comes i wanted to take some preventative measures to make it more comfortable for me in the shop. I also wear glasses and have a beard AND turn on the lathe on top of other machinery. None of which im willing to give up in the name of a masks only made for non-bearded folk First time using the 3M Versaflo respirator and with the table saw and variety of other tools and i must say my sinuses have never been happier!

I am only a part time hobby woodworker but my time in the shed is increasing and presently i dont have any major respiratory issues but i still notice certain timbers to have a reaction more than others. Now i hope i can continue breathing easy with this mask and continue the research on a suitable cyclone solution for the rest of the machines.

Cheers,
Nathan

I have a friend who breaks out in a rash if he walks into a room where there is silky oak. This can occur even if the silky has been finished with lacquer, etc. Pretty rare thing I believe, but have seen it and it's really not good, especially as he was a club person and members were asked not to use or bring any silky to the club.

However I did discover that he wasn't allergic to Silky Oak Muscat.