Woodworking Dust Extraction

Full Description

Dust from woodworking activities, for example, joinery, sawmills and timber should not be overlooked in the workplace. Various kinds of wood materials, matched with different treatment coatings make dusts an unpredictable and dangerous hazard in the workplace. Therefore, it's essential to implement effective woodworking dust extraction solutions.

From an operational perspective, it makes good business and logistical sense to maintain, or keep on top of woodworking dust in the workplace with the use of a local exhaust ventilation (LEV) woodworking dust extraction system. This is because it can save workers’ time cleaning up, but also there will be fewer slips and trip hazards caused by dust that’s settled. Also, dust produced from woodworking activities is flammable and has the potential to cause a serious fire or, albeit very rare, the potential to cause an explosion.

Use Woodworking Dust Extraction To Reduce Exposure

Different kinds of wood can contain different types of bacteria, fungal and moss spores. The volume of dust generated can depend on the method of cutting and the type of wood being used. Some factors to consider are whether the timber is green or seasoned, whether it is a hardwood, softwood or composite board or; how aggressive the machine cutter or blade profile is.

Fine dust poses the biggest risk to human health, as this can penetrate deep into your lungs, and even through the alveoli and into your bloodstream. The finer the dust is, the more dust particles there are to suspend in the air meaning it can be more easily inhaled.

According to HSE ‘WIS3: Wood Dust – Controlling the risks’ guidance, this type of dust is classified as a substance hazardous to health and exposure to it can potentially cause non-reversible health problems, including:

• irritation of the skin (dermatitis)
• obstruction in the nose, and rhinitis
• lung diseases, such as occupational asthma and;
• Hardwood dust can also cause a rare form of nasal cancer

Occupational Asthma

Click the following links to find HSE’s ‘G402: Health Surveillance for Occupation Asthma’, and; ‘G403: Health Surveillance for Occupational Dermatitis’ guidance.

HSE Inspections to Target Woodworking Businesses

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has announced that from April 2022, they will be targeting woodworking businesses with an extensive campaign. As part of the campaign, HSE inspectors will be visiting woodworking businesses across the country, from sawmills to carpenters. The HSE notes that in 2021, there were 12,000 deaths from lung diseases recorded, all of whom were previously exposed to wood dust at work. The campaign aims to 'help businesses whose workers cut and shape wood to take action now to protect their workers' respiratory health'. The inspectors will ensure that measures are in place to comply with health & safety guidance and to protect employees from respiratory diseases, most notably occupational asthma and nasal cancer.

The HSE recommends that woodworking businesses control exposure to wood dust by using extraction solutions that capture harmful dust at source. Inspectors will be making sure that these systems are in place and that employees understand the risks and how to operate machinery safely and correctly. They will also be looking into whether guards are fitted to protect fingers and hands and are well adjustable to ensure dust capture remains effective. This campaign will ensure woodworking employers and their workers are aware of the risks of wood dust and why certain measures are necessary to safeguard health.

Given this announcement, it has never been more critical to ensure your woodworking business complies with health & safety regulations. Contact us today to learn more about our wood dust extraction systems and associated services, including LEV testing.

Woodworking Dust Extraction

We've assembled lots of information about Wood Dust Extraction on our dedicated page. On here you'll find lots of helpful resources on how you can help your business provide a safe working environment for all staff and typically LEV solutions.

Woodworking Processes

We offer a wide range of different engineering solutions to help control and reduce exposure to dust that's produced in the working environment. We have a variety of solutions, which include bandsaw, circular bench saws, cross-cut saws, vertical spindle moulders, overhead and CNC routers, handheld sanding machines, wall saw, surface planer, fixed sanding machines (narrow belt), fixed sanding machine (disc), fixed sanding machines (drum/bobbin), chop saw and; suction hose attachment for cleaning.

The Common Dangers of Woodworking

Woodworking is an important industry that can be a rewarding and fun experience to work in, but there's no doubt that it's also a sector that comes with unique hazards. Some of the common dangers of woodworking include poor hygiene, such as not washing hands thoroughly after coming into contact with harmful substances, and the danger of fires or explosions. Other risks include using complex woodworking machinery, dangerous equipment like chainsaws and power tools. As with several industries, common accidents also involve working at height, slips and trips, and loud noises.

At Auto Extract Systems, we are primarily concerned with harmful airborne contaminants, such as dust. Wood dust is extremely dangerous as it can create severe health problems like skin irritation, lung disease and asthma. The type of wood can also influence the level of risk exposed to people. Hardwood dust, for instance, is particularly dangerous as it can lead to a rare form of nasal cancer. Dust is more dangerous the finer the particles as this makes it far easier to inhale. As well as the obvious risks of inhaling dust or your skin touching it, wood dust can also lead to more slips and trips and as a flammable substance, it can create fire hazards. Any chemicals used with wood materials, like paints and adhesives, also generate additional health risks.

Woodworking Dust Extraction Solutions

Our range of engineering control solutions is ideal to improve the air quality in your workplace. By providing an LEV system, you're also providing clean air for your workforce. Dust extraction systems typically include 4 core elements, these are 

1. Capture hood
2. Air cleaner
3. Air mover 
4. Discharge

The capture hood should be placed as close to the wood cutting, planing or sanding processes as possible to draw away and capture dust at-source before they're able to dissipate into the broader workplace. Depending on your business's production processes a filtration system is likely to be required. An air filtration system will help capture dust that's produced in the cutting, planing or sanding processes.

Direct Connections

Direct connections to various types of machines that produce harmful dust. These can be in form of hose connection to built-in spigots on the machines themselves or via bespoke guards, hoods etc. fabricated to suit each machine so that the dust is captured. Dust is then conveyed to a centralised filtration unit to remove captured particles and return the cleaned air to the atmosphere.

Fine Dust Filters

Fine dust filters are suitable for the extraction of various kinds of fume and dust and are suitable to be used in a wide range of applications.

Coarse Dust Filters

Coarse dust filters are designed for the most challenging applications, where there is a demand for large air volume and filtration capacities. Coarse dust filter units are suitable for handling various kinds of dust types and offer extremely efficient dust filtration, or dust collection capabilities to deliver reliable continuous operation.

Portable Dust Filters

Portable dust filters are a very versatile product and is available in a choice of finishes (depending on the application), diameters, lengths and accessories. They are a very popular product in our range as they provide at-source extraction and remove the pollutant from the workplace before it has the opportunity to dissipate into the workplace.

The Right Woodworking Dust Extraction Solution for Your Needs

Auto Extract Systems can help specify and design the right woodworking dust extraction system for your business's requirements. Over the last 20 years, we've helped thousands of businesses create dust and fume free workplaces. As experts in all things LEV, we can help your business become HSE COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulation 2002 compliant with a tailored LEV solution. We provide comprehensive design, installation, certification and maintenance services across a range of industry sectors.

We only use the highest quality products and installations come complete with a 12-month installation warranty. Find out more about our LEV Installations service.

To find out more about woodworking dust extraction and how we can help you find the right local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system for you and your business, head over to our News section. Request a FREE LEV site assessment today by clicking the button below, or call us on +44 (0)1942 267444.

REQUEST YOUR FREE ASSESSMENT

Checklist To Help You To Choose The Right LEV Supplier

If you’re in the market for a new Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) system, it can be a tough decision to decide which is the best LEV solutions provider to choose. We want to help, so we’ve assembled a checklist (and article) to help guide you to select the right LEV supplier for your business and requirements. Visit our article on How to Choose a Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Supplier and download the checklist.

Learn How We Helped Businesses Like Yours

To find out more about the latest woodworking dust extraction LEV installations we've been working on, check out our Case Studies section.

Visit our workshop dust extraction page to find out more about how we have helped businesses like yours.

Request Your FREE LEV Site Assessment Today!

We'll call to arrange a convenient time and date to visit your site. We'll analyse your working processes, assess the substances used and the contaminants generated. We'll work out how best to control the dust and fume in a way that's in line with your COSHH risk assessment. Next, we'll design you a comprehensive LEV system that adheres to HSG258 guidance and send this you to via email.

We'll do all this to ensure we fully understand your dust and fume extraction requirements and help you to provide a pollution-free workplace!

This is an amazing service we do for thousands of businesses throughout the UK and Ireland every year. We work with such a wide variety of industries, from manufacturing, industrial, woodworking, pharmaceutical and automotive bodyshops to schools, colleges and military establishments.

Request your FREE, no-obligation LEV site assessment today!

REQUEST YOUR FREE ASSESSMENT

Why Choose Us?

Auto Extract Systems is the UK’s leading Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) company. Over the last 20 years, we've helped thousands of businesses create dust and fume free workplaces.

As experts in all things LEV, we can help your business become COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulation 2002 compliant with a tailored LEV solution. We provide comprehensive design, installation, maintenance and certification services across a range of industry sectors. Find out more about us here.

We Have Woodworking Dust Extraction Solutions For...

• Timber Merchants
• Saw Mills
• Joineries
• Furniture Manufacturers
• Sawmilling and planing of wood
• Manufacturers of veneer sheets and wood-based panels
• Manufacturers of assembled parquet floors
• Other builders' carpentry and joinery manufacturers
• Manufacturers of wooden containers
• Manufacturers of other products of wood; manufacture of articles of cork, straw and plaiting materials