What's Really in Wood Dust?

It’s just dust right? Wrong! Wood dust is an important part of woodworking safety that often gets swept under the rug. The October 2011 Newsletter of the Kansas City Woodworkers Guild (KCWG) has great info on why woodworkers should pay attention to this microscopic by-product.

• Wood dust can irritate skin, eyes and lungs causing sneezing, coughing, runny nose, rashes, and asthma-like breathing problems.
• More serious rashes, severe sinus or respiratory pain and inflammation and other reactions can occur after continuous exposure to a specific species of wood dust makes you more sensitive to that species.
• Believe it or not, some woods can actually contain toxins and carcinogens.

Become a member of KCWG today, and don’t miss the next event on Wednesday, October 19th, when Dave Kraatz will be presenting demonstrations on “Skill Building with Small Projects.”

As a sponsor of the Kansas City Woodworkers Guild, Schutte Lumber is happy to offer discounts to those with a membership card. Come by Schutte Lumber showroom and lumber yard at 3001 Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri.

Photo via Wood Magazine.