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Dust and Noise Exposure While Using a Portable Wood Dust Collector

Abstract

The use of a portable wood dust collector (PWDC) to reduce exposure to wood dust during sanding with a belt sander or sawing with a miter saw was studied and an assessment was conducted of the effect of this collector on noise exposure. This pilot study used Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) samplers to collect wood dust samples and personal noise dosimeters to measure noise exposure. The PWDC was used to study various setup configurations for sanding and sawing. Other variables of interest were wood type, PDWC filter type, and sandpaper use frequency. The setup configuration of a commercially available hood was an important factor in the inhalable dust exposure when using sanding (p = .0001) and also sawing (p < .0001). The PDWC did not increase the noise during either task. None of the variables of interest predicted the noise level while sanding with a belt sander (p = .56). The type of wood was a significant predictor of noise for sawing with a miter saw (p = .01). The time it takes to adjust the PDWC hood and how this additional task affects productivity should be assessed to further understand the effectiveness of this control strategy.

Authors

  • Donna J.H. Vosburgh, MS, PhD, RS, Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater
  • Reid T. Barnhart, Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater
  • Connor Carrington, Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater
  • Morgan R. Drewek, Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater
Volume#: 83.5
Page #: 12-17
Publication Month: December 2020

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