Managing Wood Dust in the Workplace
Effectively managing wood dust requires more than basic housekeeping or PPE. Best practice involves combining practical control measures with ongoing verification to ensure those controls are working as intended.
WorkSafe NZ places strong emphasis on both elements.
Common Sources of Wood Dust
Wood dust is generated during:
Cutting, sanding and machining timber
Use of routers, saws and sanders
Cleaning activities such as dry sweeping or compressed air
Handling wood waste and offcuts
These activities can release large amounts of inhalable dust into the air, particularly in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.
Practical Control Measures
Effective wood dust management prioritises controls that reduce dust at the source. These include:
Local exhaust ventilation connected directly to tools
Enclosed or automated processes where possible
Regular maintenance of extraction systems
Using vacuum systems instead of sweeping
Limiting time spent on high-dust tasks
Respiratory protective equipment can be used to supplement these controls, particularly during maintenance or short-term high-dust activities, but it should not be the sole control relied upon.
Why Monitoring Is a Key Part of Best Practice
Even well-designed control systems can fail, degrade over time or perform differently depending on tasks and materials. Exposure monitoring allows businesses to verify that controls are actually reducing inhalable dust exposure.
Monitoring helps to:
Identify tasks that still pose high exposure risks
Confirm whether existing controls are effective
Provide evidence for health and safety decision-making
This aligns directly with WorkSafe’s expectation that risks are actively assessed and reviewed.
Verum Group’s Monitoring Services
Effective dust management relies on both controls and evidence. Verum Group delivers independent inhalable dust exposure monitoring, clear reporting, and actionable recommendations to help you assess the effectiveness of your controls and continuously improve workplace safety. Make informed decisions to protect your team and meet health and safety standards.
Verum Group provides independent inhalable dust exposure monitoring designed specifically for wood processing environments.
Our services include:
Personal exposure monitoring during normal work activities
Task-specific assessments
Clear reporting with practical recommendations
Support for ongoing improvement and compliance
By combining monitoring with practical controls, businesses can move beyond assumptions and take a proactive, informed approach to managing wood dust risks.