# Dangers of sawdust



## Oldschoolguy (Nov 6, 2018)

Hi y'all, My enclosed workshop is where I perform some of my woodworking. Sanding, router table, bench drilling etc. However, I don't have a dust collection system, nor do I use a respirator. The respirator fogs my glasses, so that is why I don't wear one. I have however, found a very nice one in Wood magazine that claims to alleviate that problem. Because I worked in manufacturing in the Northeast for over forty years, I am fully aware of the damage to your organs by inhaling contaminates. I also read an article in Wood magazine pertaining to wood dust and the dangers of it. I mentioned to my wife about the article and her attitude was pretty nonchalant about it. In fact, she said to me "Tom, Norm and the rest of those guys don't wear a respirator or have dust collection." I know that they do have and use their dust collection faithfully. no respirators though. Anyhow, I thought if enough of the LJ community responded on this topic, that she might reconcile her attitude. As always, thanks.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

There are plenty of dust masks out there that won't fog your glasses. A lot of time tv personalities don't wear them is because the have to talk while being filmed. That doesn't mean they don't use them otherwise.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

yeah the less dust we breath the better off we are,keeping dust out of our lungs should be a priority.im constantly finding ways to collect more sawdust wherever i can.your husband is right.as bondo said the reason you dont see the tv guys wearing masks is it makes it difficult to talk,but ill bet they all have and use them along with a good dust collection system.


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## TravisN (Jan 15, 2019)

I stumbled on this thread a few weeks ago. BlueRidgeDog provides a link early in the thread to a respirator that doesn't fog. I purchased it on his/her recommendation and haven't looked back. I don't need corrective vision, but I wasn't wearing safety glasses because they were always fogging up (you can see in my profile pic the cheap disposable ones I was using prior to purchasing the respirator). Anyway, it was a nominal cost (about $30 I believe), and I am now protecting my lungs and my eyes, which makes my wife very happy.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Everyone is always concerned about your lungs (and rightly so) but that's not the only concern. Do a google search on "nose cancer in woodworkers".


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

Definitely minimize your exposure to dust fines. I'm negligent sometimes if I don't want to hear the dust collector or don't want to walk across the shop to grab my respirator before I sand something. But, the older I get, the more I notice a little cough after a weekend in the shop or a tickle in the back of the throat. And if you look at the requirements for professional shops dust removal by OSHA, they seem extreme. But, they're still not as stringent as most doctor's recommend. And I recently read an article that folks that make a career out of working full time in a wood shop will develop respiratory issues. It's like smoking. It's not a matter of IF problems arise but WHEN will they arise and how severe will they be.

Half-mask respirators won't fog glasses if they're properly fit because air won't escape the top. If air is getting to your glasses, then it's not sealed and isn't doing its job anyway. I have a 3M respirator but there are many choices in the $20-30 range that are effective and have replaceable filters. Get yourself one and use it. Remember, no matter how good it is, if it's sitting on the bench or hanging on a hook, it ain't doing you no good!

Tell the wife that just a few minutes on google reading about the dangers of woodshop dust exposure will justify a $30 expenditure.

Be safe and be healthy!


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

"Norm and the rest of those guys" most certainly do have dust collection; at least all the ones with which I am familiar. I concede the face mask, but there are reasons for that as mentioned above.


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## TraditionallySpeakin (Feb 9, 2019)

I saw this the other day which I thought looked interesting but I have a hard time trying to "mouth breathe" so I don't really think it's for me.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F272047644430


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## Raymer (Mar 5, 2018)

If my wife told me not to worry about protecting myself from toxic dust, I would probably start investigating whether she just took out another life insurance policy on me.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> I saw this the other day which I thought looked interesting but I have a hard time trying to "mouth breathe" so I don't really think it's for me.
> 
> https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F272047644430
> 
> - TraditionallySpeakin


funny theres a thread about that resporator going on right now.the op kinda got laughed at.not for me either!


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> If my wife told me not to worry about protecting myself from toxic dust, I would probably start investigating whether she just took out another life insurance policy on me.
> 
> - Raymer


LOL-ditto,my wife wont come into the shop because of even a tiny bit of dust.


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## fivecodys (Dec 2, 2013)

> "Norm and the rest of those guys" most certainly do have dust collection; at least all the ones with which I am familiar. I concede the face mask, but there are reasons for that as mentioned above.
> 
> - Fred Hargis


Correct. In an issue of This Old House Magazine, Norm stated that he had to have sinus surgery due to problems with saw dust. 
Norm indeed had a very nice dust collector.


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## Ironbar (Mar 7, 2019)

My workplace just started carrying this brand of respirator which looks pretty promising:

https://www.amazon.com/Particle-Respirator-SoftSeal-Resistant-Comfortable/dp/B071DVP691

And I would like to chime in on the whole dust issue. My father-in-law is a big time woodworking guy who never wore a mask or respirator, and now he has a permanent persistent cough, AND is on oxygen. Protect your lungs folks.


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## wuddoc (Mar 21, 2008)

We keep this in our shop file under Wood Toxicity if we have any question on a particular wood species dust..

https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

So…..somebody's wife said not to worry about something that's hazardous to their health???? Hmmm.


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## pi9 (Mar 6, 2019)

How often/what tasks do yall wear a mask?

I was using my track saw this weekend to do some work, had it hooked up to a vac and a dust separator but with no mask, there was still some fine dust being thrown into the air.

Now for the next couple days my throat is irritated, I am sure it was from the dust. I never think twice about it but the more I learn about dust hazards the more I wonder if I should be concerned.

I am in an 2 car garage but have the door closed because I run a mini split air conditioner.


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

In addition to my shop vac based DC I have a WEN air filtration unit that hangs in the ceiling of my garage directly over my TS and miter saw. All I know is that even also using a dust extractor attached to the tool if I cut padauk on my table saw or miter saw an hour later there is a red tint on the filter. I try but do I always wear a mask? No. Should I, as well as ear protection? Yes. I do use a HEPA filter in my shop vac but still get that red tint to the filter in the WEN. If it's there, it's in my lungs too. Then there's stuff like cocobolo which is toxic. I always wear gloves and a mask when cutting that stuff.


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