title: Wood dust exposure in wood industry and forestry.
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine occupational exposure in Croatian wood processing industry and forest workers to harmful effects of wood dust on the risk of nose, nasal cavity and lung carcinoma. Mass concentrations of respirable particles and total wood dust were measured at two wood processing plants, three woodwork shops, and one lumbering site, where 225 total wood dust samples and 221 respirable particle samples were collected. Wood dust mass concentration was determined by the gravimetric method. Mass concentrations exceeding total wood dust maximal allowed concentration (MAC, 3 mg/m3) were measured for beechwood and oakwood dust in 38% (79/206) of study samples from wood processing facilities (plants and woodwork shops). Mass concentrations of respirable particles exceeding MAC (1 mg/m3) were recorded in 24% (48/202) of samples from wood processing facilities (mean 2.38 +/- 2.08 mg/m3 in plants and 3.6 +/- 2.22 mg/m3 in woodwork shops). Thus, 13% (27/206) of work sites in wood processing facilities failed to meet health criteria according to European guidelines. Launching of measures to reduce wood dust emission to the work area is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Ecology, Zagreb Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia. dinko.puntaric@publichealth-zagreb.hr
authors.forename: Dinko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Puntarić
authors.forename: Ankica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kos
authors.forename: Zdenko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: Zeljko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zecić
authors.forename: Kresimir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sega
authors.forename: Ruzica
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beljo-Lucić
authors.forename: Dubravko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horvat
authors.forename: Jasna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bosnir
mesh_terms: D017523:Croatia; D004391:Dust; D016468:Forestry; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012307:Risk Factors; D014934:Wood
chemical_list: D004391:Dust