Just Breathe – To draw air into and expel it from the lungs
HSE – Managing health risks in the woodworking sector
Every year in the UK, around 12,000 people die from lung diseases linked to past exposure to hazardous substances at work.
This includes inhalation of wood dust that can cause occupational asthma and, in the case of hardwoods, sinonasal cancer.
From April 2022, HSE Inspectors will be visiting woodworking businesses across Great Britain to ensure duty holders know the risks associated with woodworking, including wood dust, and have effective controls in place to keep workers safe and protect their respiratory health.
Inspectors will be looking for evidence that employers have considered the control measures required to reduce workers’ exposure to wood dusts, that workers understand that exposure to wood dusts can damage their long-term respiratory health and that effective control measures are in place to protect workers from harm.
Inspectors will use enforcement when necessary to make sure workers are protected.
