A recent study by Simply Business put carpentry as the 12th most dangerous occupation in the UK based on accident insurance claims. That’s not surprising, because aside from the many sharp objects in woodworking environments, fires from combustible wood dust are also a very real concern.
However, another aspect of the profession that shouldn’t be overlooked is the potential for illness caused by poorly ventilated workshops; particularly the possibility of developing skin and breathing conditions.
Is it bad to inhale dust from sanding?
In a word, yes. Sanding and other woodworking processes can throw up fine wood dusts in the air which, if not properly protected against, can be breathed in and come to rest in a carpenter’s lungs. Over time, this can lead to conditions like asthma, COPD and even occupational lung cancer. (There’s a reason we named musical instrument workshops as one of the five surprising workplaces that need dust and fume extraction!).
To protect against the physical and respiratory dangers of wood dust, we always recommend suitable and substantial local exhaust ventilation (LEV) protection in a carpentry environment. That’s why we’ve recently added new woodworking safety products for 2022 to our website.
Here, we’ll detail their uses and who could benefit from them the most.
Our new woodworking safety products you need in your shop
Woodworking Extractors WWS1, WWS2 and WWS 3
Our first new woodworking safety products you need in your shop is the VX-WWS1 Small Wood Dust Filter Unit.
Designed specifically to be used with band saws and small sanders, the WWS1 is a highly versatile compact wood dust extractor that’s perfect for capturing dust from sawing and sanding.
Connecting directly to the lower extraction port on a band sander, the WWS1’s built-in bag filter is designed to capture a plethora of different waste produced during these processes, before they can enter a woodworker’s breathing zone.
A low-level unit designed to sit below the working bed height of most band saws, the WWS1 may be out of sight, but its effects are always there, protecting your people and helping to keep your workspace COSHH compliant.
Our second new woodworking safety product is the VX-WWS2 Wood Dust Filter Unit.
Made especially for machines that produce bulk waste like planers and wood lathes, the WWS2 is nonetheless a versatile choice for a variety of woodworking extraction applications.
Easy to install and maintain, it’s designed to be surprisingly quiet, making it well-suited to being placed in a classroom setting. Ideal for extracting course dusts, its large collection has a sizeable 94-litre capacity, fed by a needlefelt Terylene bag filter with manual shaker system which captures particulates and deposits them into the collection bin below.
For extra protection, an E10/E11 grade EPA fine filter can be added on the rear of the WWS2, enabling even greater extraction.
The third and last of our New woodworking safety products for 2022 is the VX-WWS3 Centralised Wood Dust Filter Unit.
Designed to be used as a small centralised extractor, the WWS3 is ideal for prep room applications, in which a central extractor is needed to collect waste from several woodworking machines.
Available with the same low noise levels as its smaller brothers above, the solid industrial steel construction of the WWS3 holds a whopping 150-litre collection tray and has the option of an ATEX version that features explosion relief for St1/St2 dusts.
Even the base model however features four primary needlefelt filter tubes and a secondary G4 panel, which together capture and contain the myriad of potentially dangerous dusts found in all kinds of woodworking processes.
Need a fume and dust safety solution for your workshop?
Whether you have need for one of our new woodworking safety products, a different specific woodworking safety solution, or you just need to talk to an LEV safety expert, our knowledge and experience could be key to keeping your workshop COSHH compliant, and your people safe from the dangers of wood dust and fumes.
For more information, see the links below, or get in touch with us to see how we can improve your business’s safety for all concerned.
