[Exposure to wood dust in a group of carpentry craftsmen in secondary wood processing]

In order to evaluate the risk connected with wood dust exposure in millwork on a group of 13 craft industries, 74 area dust samplings and 74 personal dust samplings were made. In personal samplings both the total portion and the respirable fraction were calculated. Area samplings showed dust levels (average, standard deviation, fiducial limit, FLS95%) under ACGIH TLV-TWA for soft wood dust: TLV-TWA for hard wood was basically reached, and OTL levels gave evidence for high risk of exceeding TLV-TWA in the medium-long term. The exposure levels by personal samplings (average, standard deviation, fiducial limit, FLS95%) were clearly over TLV-TWA, both for hard woods and, although less clear, for soft woods. OTL levels gave evidence for a frankly unacceptable exposure condition in the medium-long term. Differences between average levels of total dust exposure (2.5 mg/m3) and respirable portion (2.3 mg/m3) were not statistically significant (p > 0.05) as well as the differences among the 4 groups of companies with homogeneous product activity (p > 0.05). In consideration of toxicological peculiarity of wood dust and carcinogenicity of wood manufacture as exposure circumstances classified in group 1 by IARC, the results show the need for prevention measures to reduce workers' exposure risk, by means of environmental improvement and better work organization, technological structures, individual attitudes and personal protection.