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industry news 


Wood Dust: A Public Health Concern

An estimated 300,000 workers are exposed to wood dust in France, whether in sawmills, on construction sites, in shipyards or in the manufacturing of furniture.


The dust produced during the processing of wood can cause pathologies with varying degrees of severity: among the most severe, nasal and sinus cavity cancers and pulmonary lesions; and among the less severe, skin and mucous irritations that may lead to allergies.

 

While wood dust is recognized as the second leading cause of occupational cancer in France, legislation relating to this omnipresent risk is, however, not sufficiently applied in companies.

 

 

The challenge today is to take the entirety of the cancer risk into account. This may be seen in risk assessment in given contexts, professional exposure limit monitoring, extraction and recycling equipment inspection and, finally, in the traceability of exposure.

 

An action plan has been decided upon jointly by the CNAMTS (French national health insurance fund for salaried workers), the INRS (French national research and safety institute), the OPPBTP (French professional construction industry accident prevention organization), the CRAM (French regional health insurance funds) prevention departments and the French ministry of Agriculture, in order to improve compliance with legislation in force. Informing and raising the awareness of employers and staff concerned by the problem, targeted technical support in the matter of risk assessment and the installation and monitoring of equipment are among the priorities undertaken.