Wood Dust Levels in Alberta Sawmills

ABSTRACT

Sawmills in the Canadian province of Alberta were surveyed in order to identify occupations at greatest risk and to guide compliance measures. Two hundred and ten wood dust samples (inhalable) were collected from nine Alberta sawmills using Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) personal samplers. Nine percent of samples exceeded 5 mg/m³ 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) for total dust. There was a significant statistical difference (p < .001) between the median and geometric mean inhalable particulate matter (IPM) dust levels for 4 aggregated occupational groups. Levels were highest for cleanup workers (3.5 mg/m³), followed by the maintenance, planermill, and sawmill occupational groups, as were other measures of dust levels. In response to these findings, the Alberta Forest Products Association undertook a program to train sawmill managers to implement these recommendations on engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment.

KEYWORDS:

• Alberta
• dust levels
• inhalable dust
• sawmills
• wood dust

Acknowledgments

The work was performed at the Occupational Health Program, University of Alberta. Contract Grant Sponsor: Alberta Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

Mr Ken Wong wrote the initial proposal and outlined the key elements of the study. Occutech Services HSE Inc. refined the hygiene draft and carried out the study. Analysis of the data was assisted by Mr Ken Wong, Occutech Services HSE Inc., Mr Paul Beaulne, A. Senthilselvan, and Mr Gian Jhangri. The project was funded by the AFPA, the Alberta Department of Economic Development and Tourism (through the Office of Industry, Technology and Forestry Development, Forest Industry Development), the Network of Centres of Excellence in Sustainable Forest Management, and each of the 9 participating sawmills. This project was the basis of M.Y.'s thesis for the MSc degree at the University of Alberta, which was supervised by Duncan Saunders and Jim Cheng, whom M.Y. thanks for their encouragement and assistance.