Wood Dust

Abstract

Occupational exposure to wood dust is associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases including acute or chronic impairment of lung function, cancers of the nasal cavity, lung, digestive system, and hematopoietic system, asthma, and allergic and nonallergic dermatitis. Most recent studies on occupational wood dust exposures have been focused on respiratory symptoms, lung function, and sinonasal cancer. The specific causative agents, and so on, wood dust alone (natural products), wood dust with additives used in the processing or manufacturing of wood products, and/or physical and chemical properties of wood dust, associated with adverse effects are still poorly understood. This chapter discusses the peer‐reviewed scientific literature published on occupational exposure to wood dust and the associated risks of developing adverse health effects. In future studies, attention is called for robust exposure assessment that includes control of confounding variables, duration of exposure, and sufficient follow‐up time for onset of effects. This information is needed to understand the causation of health effects caused by wood dust exposure and the demographic differences in disease rates as well as to develop strategies for interventions to reduce risks to wood industry workers.