title: Wood Dust in Joineries and Furniture Manufacturing: An Exposure Determinant and Intervention Study.
abstract: To assess wood dust exposures and determinants in joineries and furniture manufacturing and to evaluate the efficacy of specific interventions on dust emissions under laboratory conditions. Also, in a subsequent follow-up study in a small sample of joinery workshops, we aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a cost-effective and practicable intervention to reduce dust exposures.
  
  
  
  Personal inhalable dust (n = 201) was measured in 99 workers from 10 joineries and 3 furniture-making factories. To assess exposure determinants, full-shift video exposure monitoring (VEM) was conducted in 19 workers and task-based VEM in 32 workers (in 7 joineries and 3 furniture factories). We assessed the efficacy of vacuum extraction on hand tools and the use of vacuum cleaners instead of sweeping and dry wiping under laboratory conditions. These measures were subsequently implemented in three joinery workshops with 'high' (>4 mg m-3) and one with 'low' (<2 mg m-3) baseline exposures. We also included two control workshops (one 'low' and one 'high' exposure workshop) in which no interventions were implemented. Exposures were measured 4 months prior and 4 months following the intervention.
  
  
  
  Average (geometric means) exposures in joinery and furniture making were 2.5 mg m-3 [geometric standard deviations (GSD) 2.5] and 0.6 mg m-3 (GSD 2.3), respectively. In joinery workers cleaning was associated with a 3.0-fold higher (P < 0.001) dust concentration compared to low exposure tasks (e.g. gluing), while the use of hand tools showed 3.0- to 11.0-fold higher (P < 0.001) exposures. In furniture makers, we found a 5.4-fold higher exposure (P < 0.001) with using a table/circular saw. Laboratory efficiency experiments showed a 10-fold decrease in exposure (P < 0.001) when using a vacuum cleaner. Vacuum extraction on hand tools combined with a downdraft table reduced exposures by 42.5% for routing (P < 0.1) and 85.5% for orbital sanding (P < 0.001). Following intervention measures in joineries, a borderline statistically significant (P < 0.10) reduction in exposure of 30% was found in workshops with 'high' baseline exposures, but no reduction was shown in the workshop with 'low' baseline exposures.
  
  
  
  Wood dust exposure is high in joinery workers and (to a lesser extent) furniture makers with frequent use of hand tools and cleaning being key drivers of exposure. Vacuum extraction on hand tools and alternative cleaning methods reduced workplace exposures substantially, but may be insufficient to achieve compliance with current occupational exposure limits.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Douwes
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prezant
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, 550 Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Marine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corbin
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: 't Mannetje
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Alle 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.|National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lerso Parkalle 105, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark.
authors.forename: Vivi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schlunssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Alle 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Torben
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sigsgaard
authors.affiliation: Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.178, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kromhout
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: LaMontagne
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand.|Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, 550 Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: McGlothlin
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D014934:Wood / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D017132:Workplace
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust
keywords: exposure; intervention; joinery workers; video exposure monitoring; wood dust