Wood dust is created when machines are used to cut or shape wood materials. Industries of high risk of wood dust exposure are sawmills, dimension mills, furniture industries, and carpenters, etc. Health effects associated with wood dust exposure includes dermatitis, allergic respiratory effects and cancer. Health effects of wood dust are mainly depend on the concentration, dust size and exposure time. This study were carried out to evaluate the concentration and particle size distribution of wood dust during working processes. The subjects of this study were 53 workers exposed to wood dust in 7 furniture factories and 5 musical instruments, and 5 sawmill factories.
The average total wood dust concentrations measured by personal cascade impactor were 1.82±2.31㎎/㎥ in primary manufacture, 3.59±1.72㎎/㎥ m in secondary manufacture, 5.09±1.46㎎/㎥ in sanding operation. Mass median diameters of hardwoods dust were 3.36㎛ in primary manufacture, 4.25㎛ in secondary manufacture, 4.21㎛ in sanding operation. Softwoods dust were 3.39㎛ in primary manufacture, 4.34㎛ in secondary manufacture. Particle size distributions showed a nearly the same pattern in each working processes. The sample concentration of all hardwood dust exceeded the Threshold Limit Value(TLV) and 20.8% of the softwood dust exceeded the Threshold Limit Value. The range of size distribution were 0.5-l0㎛ in the soft and hardwood dust. The respirable dust of soft and hardwood took up 59% and above. Therefore new threshold limit value for wood dust should be needed in Korea. Also, it should be done for various studies on health effects related to occupational exposure of wood dust.
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