A Study of the exposure to wood dust and potential impact on lung function

This paper investigates the correlation between exposure to wood dust and a decrement in lung function. There is abundant literature on the adverse health effects of wood dust, including: irritation, allergic rhinitis, dermal and lung sensitisation, asthma, and for certain wood species such as oak-nasal cancer. The results of the inhalable wood dust sampling demonstrated that one SEG had exposure levels above the exposure standard of 5 mg/m3 for softwood, due to tasks undertaken without appropriate controls. Statistical analysis of the data demonstrated that while there was a difference in the mean values of FEV 1 and FVC between pre- and post-shift, the correlation between wood dust exposure and a decrement in lung function was weak