Occupational Exposure to Chemical Agents in the Particleboard Industry

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Vol. 11; no. 5; pp. 357 - 363
• Main Authors: Kauppinen, Timo P, Niemelä, Raimo I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Finland Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health 01-10-1985; National Board of Occupational Safety and Health; The Working Environment Fund; Swedish Medical Society, Section for Environmental Health; Work Research Institutes; Institute of Occupational Health
• Subjects: Air Pollutants, Occupational - analysis; Chemical hazards; Dust - analysis; Finland; Formaldehyde - analysis; Glues; Hot pressing; Plywood; Resins; Saws; Solvents; Terpenes; Ventilation systems; Wood; Workrooms; Finland; wood dust; formaldehyde
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.2212

Air contaminants were measured at eight Finnish particleboard plants in 1965—1984. Most of the measurements concerned formaldehyde and wood dust. The other substances measured included terpenes, solvents, and heptachlor. Before 1975 the formaldehyde concentration regularly exceeded 2 ppm during many workphases. Considerable improvements in ventilation and the composition of glues have occurred since then, and today the exposure level is below 2 ppm during most workphases. High peak concentrations, 20—30 ppm at the highest, were characteristic of exposure in earlier years. The concentrations of wood dust have also decreased, eg, from over 5 mg/m³ to 1 mg/m³ or below during forming. These data have been used to evaluate past exposures in an epidemiologic study on cancer risks in the particleboard, plywood, and sawmill industries.