Toxic timbers and effects on the body!

[petercharlesfagg]

Friends, another listing from my archives that might prove useful? This list was produced in 1998.


Regards, Peter.

............................................................................................."........................................................................

Toxic Woods ListThis is an archived file from the Musical Instrument Makers
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Potentially Toxic Woods
The following information is reprinted with permission from data provided by Roy
Banner, a wood turner from Torrance, California who almost lost his life in 1989
to anaphylactic shock after turning pieces of exotic wood. You can bet Roy wears
his RACAL respirator every time he turns on his lathe now! Roy has assembled
this data over the years from various sources and when an entry appears in red,
this indicates that the information has come from only one source and has not
been verified elsewhere. Some of the information here has come as a surprise to
me and its a wonder I've never had a toxic reaction to wood that I've been aware
of. As a luthier, I've worked with a lot of exotics, but as a wood collector
I've worked with lots more strange stuff from all over the world with no ill
effects. Each of us is different and you can call me old "iron gut".
Sorry that this file is such a patchwork effort and may be difficult to follow,
and that Latin names of woods are not included. I can't judge with any authority
the validity of the information presented here and it's up to the user's
discretion to further research any wood themselves, though Roy has told me the
information here has appeared in several woodworking magazines (for what that's
worth). Take this as a jumping off point. You might also want to check out The
Botanical Dermatology Database.


After each wood name comes categories between slashes / /:
Class: Woods are either an irritant which cause a reaction fairly rapidly
after exposure and will cause a similar reaction repeatedly, or sensitizers
which may have a latency period of hours or months and may require repeated
handling before reaction occurs. Sensitizer's are the more severe, because
once you're sensitized, you're sensitized for life and the reactions only get
more dramatic. A bit like paying taxes to the Gov, huh?
Reaction Category:
Eye and skin irritation (hives, itching, redness).
Respiratory problems.
Nausea, headache, or general malaise, possibly even liver or kidney
malfunction.
Cancer of nose and sinus. Statistics show that woodworkers have a 40 per
cent greater chance of nasal cancer than the general population, but the
majority of statistics on nasal cancer are based on data from 1920-1960 when
the furniture industry became highly mechanized with little or no dust
control methods. So don't freak.
Potency: Small, great, extreme. This is the potential of the wood or sawdust
doing harm and would vary with the individual i.e., those who are allergy
prone might think twice about working with wood classed as extremely potent.
Source: Dust or wood, or both
Incidence: Unknown, rare, or common. This is probably the vaguest of the
categories as most doctors wouldn't know an allergic reaction to wood if it
bit them in the face.
Note that this data does not take into consideration Man's penchant for trying
to poison himself by using formaldehyde in plywood, treated woods, sodium
compounds in white pine to prevent blue stain, etc.


Afromosia: irritant/eye & skin, respiratory/great/dust/rare
Alder: irritant/eye & skin, respiratory
Angelico: irritant/eye & skin, respiratory/great/dust
Arborvitae: irritant/respiratory
Ash: irritant/respiratory
Baldcypress: sensitizer/respiratory/small/dust/rare
Balsam fir: sensitizer/eye & skin/small/dust/rare
Beech: sensitizer/respiratory/great/dust/rare
Birch: sensitizer/respiratory, nausea/great/dust, wood/rare
Black locust: irritant/nausea/great/rare
Blackwood: sensitizer/eye & skin/great/dust, wood/common
Boxwood: sensitizer/respiratory/small/dust, wood/rare
Cashew: sensitizer/eye & skin/great/dust, wood/rare
Chechem: irritant/respiratory, eye & skin/great/dust, wood/unknown
Cocobolo: irritant/respiratory, eye & skin/great/dust, wood/common
Dahoma: sensitizer/respiratory/great/dust/common
Ebony: irritant, sensitizer/respiratory, eye & skin/great/dust, wood/common
Elm: sensitizer/eye & skin/small/dust/rare
Fir: irritant/eye & skin/small/rare
Goncolo alves: sensitizer/eye & skin/small/dust, wood/rare
Greenheart: sensitizer/respiratory, eye & skin/extreme/dust, wood/common
Guarea: sensitizer/eye & skin/extreme/dust/rare
Hemlock: nasal cancer/great/dust/rare
Ipe: irritant/respiratory, eye & skin
Iroko: irritant/respiratory, eye & skin/extreme/dust, wood/common
Katon: irritant/respiratory
Kingwood: irritant/eye & skin
Mahogany, American: sensitizer/respiratory, eye & skin/small/dust/rare
Mahogany, African: sensitizer/respiratory/great/dust/rare
Makore: irritant/respiratory, eye & skin
Mansonia: irritant/respiratory, eye & skin/extreme/dust, wood/common
Manzinilla: irritant/respiratory/dust/rare
Maple: sensitizer/respiratory/great/dust, wood/rare
Mimosa: irritant/nasal/extreme/dust, wood/common
Myrtle: sensitizer/respiratory/great/dust, wood/common
Oak, red: nasal/great/dust/rare
Obeche: sensitizer/respiratory, eye & skin/great/dust/common
Olivewood: sensitizer/respiratory, eye & skin/great/dust, wood/common
Opepe: sensitizer/respiratory/small/dust/rare
Orangewood: respiratory/rare
Padauk: irritant/respiratory, eye & skin, nausea/extreme/dust, wood/common
Pau ferro: sensitizer/eye & skin/small/dust, wood/rare
Peroba rose: sensitizer/respiratory/great/dust, wood/common
Peroba white: sensitizer/respiratory, eye & skin
Purpleheart: sensitizer/eye & skin, nausea/small/dust, wood/rare
Quebracho: nasal cancer/great/dust/rare
Ramin: irritant/respiratory, eye & skin/small/dust/rare
Redwood: sensitizer/respiratory, nasal cancer/small/dust/rare
Rosewood(s): irritant, sensitizer/respiratory, eye & skin/extreme/dust,
wood/common
Satinwood: irritant/respiratory, eye & skin/extreme/dust, wood/common
Sassafras: sensitizer/respiratory, nausea, nasal cancer/small/dust, wood/rare
Sequoia: irritant/respiratory, nasal cancer/small/dust, wood/rare
Snakewood: irritant/respiratory/great/dust, wood/rare
Spruce: sensitizer/respiratory/small/dust, wood/rare
Stavewood: irritant/respiratory
Sucupira: irritant/respiratory
Teak: sensitizer/eye & skin/extreme/dust/common
Walnut, black: sensitizer/eye & skin/great/leaves & bark/unknown
Wenge: sensitizer/respiratory, eye & skin/great/dust/common
Willow: sensitizer/nasal cancer/great/dust/unknown
W. redcedar: sensitizer/respiratory, nasal cancer/great/dust/common
Yew, Europe: irritant/eye & skin/great/dust/common
Zebrawood: sensitizer/eye & skin/great/dust/rare
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[Grahamshed]

Tikes. Doesn't leave much does it.
I always new I was safer playing marbles.

 

[RogerP]

Note that this data does not take into consideration Man's penchant for trying
to poison himself by using formaldehyde in plywood, treated woods, sodium
compounds in white pine to prevent blue stain, etc.

... and tobacco and alcohol :roll:

 

[Peter Sefton]

This is from the HSE and may be useful
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis30.pdf

Cheers Peter

 

[CHJ]

There are several links to Toxicity and Hazard information in the Help and Safety sticky at the top of the forum including the HSE info. but it never hurts to bring things back to the surface as Stickys get ignored if they are not of an immediate interest.

 

[Bodrighy]

It's good to know about the toxicity of woods, especially if you are making items for use with food such as goblets, mortar and pestles, bowls that will be used for eating from etc. I have ended up almost in arguments with some turners about my refusal to use yew, laburnum, iroko and a couple of others for such things. The danger is not just something to think about for your own safety but for those the work is intended for as well.

Pete

 

[JimB]

Then there are the individual irritants. Fruit woods are my problem. My wife can always tell if I've been turning them from the redness of my skin. Pear seems to be the worst.

 

[Nick Arnull]

Peter,
What a great list, my concern is that they are all the common names and not the latin, and as such would question the source.

I would advise that all wood dust is potentially hazardous, and should be dealt with accordingly.
Some folks have instant and on at times severe reactions, while others are less,please remember it may well be those who are around the dust and not creating it that may experience problems.

Nick Arnull.RPT.

 

[petercharlesfagg]

Peter,
What a great list, my concern is that they are all the common names and not the latin, and as such would question the source.

I would advise that all wood dust is potentially hazardous, and should be dealt with accordingly.
Some folks have instant and on at times severe reactions, while others are less,please remember it may well be those who are around the dust and not creating it that may experience problems.

Nick Arnull.RPT.

Thankyou Nick,

this whole thing is ONLY meant as a guide because the question of toxicity comes up on forums the world over on a regular basis!

I hope that others reading it would be intelligent enough to conduct their own investigations before making something that might affect themselves and their potential after users!

As regards, Latin, like yourself I too have been involved in timber for well over 20 years but I doubt if I could name more than 6 or 7 off the cuff in Latin, I also doubt that it would make much difference to the searchers ultimate answer?

Anyway, all of it is meant ONLY AS A GUIDE, nothing else. (I am not shouting at you merely emphasising )

Warmest regards, Peter.

 

[Grahamshed]

It is like everything else I guess. For instance I can take just about any tablet you throw at me ( except Penicillin which will kill me ) whereas the wife seems unable to tolerate any tablet at all. Horses for courses and bear in mind that all woods have a POTENTIAL to harm someone.
We will have to start putting disclaimers on our turnings.
WARNING
THIS WOOD MAY CONTAIN WOOD.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Not least of which is when it flying through the air heading for your face, straight off the lathe, which happened to me yesterday after a split!!

 

[Grahamshed]

Warning
Living can damage your health
The only fit woodworker is a dead woodworker
:roll: :roll: :roll: