COSHH guide · Wood dust

Wood dust at work: hardwood, softwood and MDF

What wood dust does to health, the limits for hardwood, softwood and MDF dust, and the controls HSE expects on site and in the workshop. Every figure is from COSHH, EH40 or HSE’s woodworking guidance.

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Published 5 October 2026 · Checked against legislation.gov.uk and HSE on 5 October 2026

A carpenter in a cap and work gloves running a tape measure along a new roof timber, with sawn timber stacked below and blue sky behind

What are the hazards of wood dust?

Wood dust can cause asthma and dermatitis, and hardwood dust can cause cancer, particularly of the nose. HSE says all wood dust is a substance hazardous to health, so COSHH applies to it. Carpenters, joiners, shopfitters, kitchen fitters and floor layers make it whenever they saw, rout or sand timber and boards such as MDF.

EH40 sets workplace exposure limits of 3 mg/m³ for hardwood dust and 5 mg/m³ for softwood dust, both 8-hour averages. Where hardwood dust is mixed with other wood dust, the hardwood limit applies to all of it. HSE says carpenters and joiners are four times more likely to get asthma than other UK workers.

Hardwood dusts are listed in COSHH Schedule 1, which brings them inside the legal definition of a carcinogen. Control of them only counts as adequate if exposure is reduced as low as is reasonably practicable, not just kept under the limit. HSE applies the same test to softwood dust, because it can also cause asthma. How the limits work in general is in EH40 and workplace exposure limits.

Where trades meet wood dust

EH40 says sawing, turning and routing produce relatively coarse dust, while sanding and assembly produce fine dust. HSE says the fine dust does the most damage, because it is breathed deep into the lungs.

Woodworking tasks that give off dust, how the dust reaches the air, and the main harm
Task	How the dust reaches the air	Main harm
Sawing and cross-cutting timber	Circular, mitre and chop saws produce relatively coarse dust. HSE says cutting with power tools can produce significant levels, and that a number of quick cuts does not mean low risk.	Asthma; nasal cancer where the timber is a hardwood
Sanding with power sanders	Sanding makes fine dust. HSE names the belt sander as a case where levels can be very high. It says powered sanding of softwood and MDF can give higher levels than hardwood.	Asthma, dermatitis, and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat
Cutting and routing MDF, chipboard and plywood	HSE counts dust from composite boards as wood dust. Machining MDF can also release some formaldehyde from the resin that binds it.	Asthma; nasal cancer where the board contains hardwood
Hardwood doors, worktops, stair parts and floors	Cutting, planing and sanding oak, ash, beech, mahogany or teak, which EH40 gives as examples of hardwoods.	Nasal cancer and asthma
Workshop machines	On saw benches, planers, spindle moulders and fixed sanders, HSE says the fast-turning blades and cutters act like fans. The extraction hood has to contain the air they move.	Asthma; nasal cancer from hardwood
Cleaning up and emptying extractors	Dry sweeping and compressed air lift settled dust back into the air. HSE lists bagging dust from extraction systems among the tasks that give high exposure.	All of the above, for the person cleaning and anyone nearby

HSE says settled dust contains the fine particles most likely to damage the lungs. Clean it up by vacuum, as set out under controls below.

What wood dust does to health

HSE says all wood dust can cause serious, non-reversible health problems. These are the effects it names.

Occupational asthma

EH40 marks both hardwood and softwood dust Sen: they can cause occupational asthma. Once a worker is sensitised, further exposure, sometimes in tiny quantities, may bring on symptoms. In one HSE case study, a joiner sawing western red cedar, a softwood, for garden sheds was wheezing within a few months and was diagnosed with occupational asthma.

EH40 paragraphs 53 and 56; HSE wood dust page and case study

Nasal cancer

HSE says hardwood dust can cause cancer, particularly of the nose, and calls it a rare type of nasal cancer. COSHH Schedule 1 lists hardwood dusts, which brings them inside the legal definition of a carcinogen.

HSE WIS23; COSHH regulation 2 and Schedule 1

Dermatitis

HSE lists dermatitis among the effects of wood dust. Its woodworking sheets call for warm water, mild skin cleansers and soft towels for washing, and checks for the early signs of dermatitis.

HSE COSHH essentials WD0 and WD7

Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat

HSE lists irritation of the eyes, nose and throat alongside asthma and dermatitis. Recurring sore or watering eyes and a blocked or running nose are also among the symptoms HSE’s asthma surveillance looks for.

HSE WIS23; HSE G402

Fire and explosion

Not a COSHH health effect, but part of the same job. HSE says wood dust is flammable, and that every year premises are severely damaged or destroyed by wood dust fires that usually start in dust extraction equipment.

HSE WIS23 and WIS32

The exposure limits for wood dust

From EH40 Table 1

Copied from EH40/2005 Table 1, fourth edition 2020, on 5 October 2026. Dust limits are for the inhalable fraction unless EH40 says respirable. Where Table 1 sets no short-term limit, it is shown as “None listed”.

Workplace exposure limits for wood dust, and for formaldehyde from MDF, from EH40/2005 Table 1
Substance	Long-term limit (8-hour TWA)	Short-term limit (15 minutes)	Notation	What it covers
Hardwood dust (inhalable fraction)	3 mg/m³	None listed	Carc, Sen	Timber from deciduous trees, such as beech, ash, oak, mahogany and teak. If hardwood dust is mixed with other wood dust, this limit applies to all the wood dust in the mixture.
Softwood dust	5 mg/m³	None listed	Sen	Timber mainly from coniferous trees, such as Scots pine, yew and cedar. If softwood dust is mixed with hardwood dust, the hardwood limit applies instead.
Formaldehyde	2 ppm (2.5 mg/m³)	2 ppm (2.5 mg/m³)	Carc	Given off by urea-formaldehyde resin, the most common binder in MDF for dry conditions. HSE’s woodworking FAQ, last updated in March 2023, says the levels from E1 class boards made in the EU are thought to be insignificant.

The EU cut its hardwood dust limit to 2 mg/m³ from 17 January 2023 under Directive (EU) 2017/2398. The current EH40, the fourth edition of 2020, does not include that figure and still sets 3 mg/m³. HSE says it has considered all outstanding EU limits and will introduce revised limits for three, which are specific to underground mining and tunnelling.

What COSHH asks for wood dust

The duties below are the law unless a row says it is HSE guidance. COSHH asks for prevention or adequate control, and for hardwood dust it asks for more.

COSHH covers wood dust

A substance hazardous to health includes any substance with a workplace exposure limit approved by HSE. Hardwood and softwood dust both have one. HSE’s guidance goes further and says all wood dust is a substance hazardous to health.

Regulation 2; HSE WIS23

Assess before the work starts

Work liable to expose employees must not start until a suitable and sufficient assessment has been made and its steps put in place. It must consider the level, type and duration of exposure, the WEL, and high-exposure jobs such as maintenance. With 5 or more employees, the significant findings are recorded.

Regulation 6(1), (2) and (4)

Prevent, or control adequately

Exposure must be prevented or, where that is not reasonably practicable, adequately controlled. Control counts as adequate only if the Schedule 2A principles of good practice are applied and the WEL is not exceeded.

Regulation 7(1) and 7(7)(a) and (b)

Hardwood dust: as low as reasonably practicable

For a substance or process listed in Schedule 1, which includes hardwood dusts, control only counts as adequate if exposure is also reduced as low as is reasonably practicable. HSE’s guidance puts it plainly. If an improvement would cut exposure further below the WEL and is reasonable and practicable, make it.

Regulation 7(7)(c)(i) and Schedule 1; HSE WIS23

Softwood dust: the asthma test

The same test applies to a substance carrying hazard statement H334, or listed in section C of HSE’s Asthmagen? review. It also applies to any other substance the risk assessment shows may cause occupational asthma. Section C lists some softwood dusts, naming cedar, and some hardwood dusts. EH40 marks softwood dust Sen, and says a Sen notation brings the same requirement. HSE’s woodworking guidance applies it to all wood dust.

Regulation 7(7)(c)(ii); HSE Asthmagen? C13 and C26; EH40 paragraph 84; HSE WIS23

Extra measures for a carcinogen

Where exposure to hardwood dust cannot reasonably be prevented, the law adds five measures. Enclose the process totally unless that is not reasonably practicable. Ban eating, drinking and smoking in areas that may be contaminated. Clean floors, walls and other surfaces at regular intervals and whenever necessary. Designate those areas, with warning signs. Store, handle and dispose of the dust safely, in closed, clearly labelled containers.

Regulation 7(5)

Extraction examined every 14 months

Local exhaust ventilation, which HSE says includes on-tool extraction, needs a thorough examination and test at least once every 14 months. The record is kept for at least 5 years. No woodworking process is among the Schedule 4 processes with a shorter interval.

Regulation 9(2) and (4); Schedule 4; HSE WD7

Controlling wood dust, in the order COSHH sets

Regulation 7 puts prevention first, then control at source, then personal protective equipment. HSE’s woodworking guidance sets out what each stage means for wood.

Make less dust

Order pre-cut and pre-finished materials, plan cuts so less shaping and sanding is needed, and keep blades and tooling sharp. HSE says blunt tools release more dust. Where the job allows, choose a wood type known to be less toxic.

NoteRegulation 7(2) makes substitution the preferred way to prevent exposure, so far as is reasonably practicable. For MDF, HSE suggests a low-emission or no-added-formaldehyde board.

Extract at the tool or machine

Plug saws, sanders and routers into on-tool extraction with an M or H class unit, at a flow rate right for the work. Use antistatic hoses, fitted with an adaptor rather than tape. Fixed machines need extraction hoods designed for the machine.

NoteHSE says an industrial vacuum with a HEPA filter is not adequate. M and H class units should carry the class label and a low-flow indicator.

Keep the dust in one place

Cut in a dedicated work area to limit the spread of dust, and keep people who are not needed out of it. Where extraction runs indoors, let in clean make-up air to replace what is drawn out.

NoteRegulation 7(4)(c) requires the number of people exposed, and the level and duration of exposure, to be kept to the minimum the work needs.

Clean by vacuum, never sweep or blow

Clean the equipment and work area at least daily, and anywhere dust builds up at least weekly. Use an M or H class vacuum or a suction hose on the extraction. Bag and seal the waste dust.

NoteHSE says never use brushes or compressed air on surfaces, clothing or skin. It says RPE is also needed for cleaning and maintenance.

Wear the right RPE

HSE says RPE is likely to be needed in most cases when sanding, and when cutting for longer periods. It gives those as 15 to 30 minutes of total trigger time over the day, particularly in enclosed spaces. HSE says it should have an assigned protection factor of at least 20, such as FFP3 or a half mask with a P3 filter.

NoteHSE’s woodworking FAQ says nuisance dust masks, FFP1 and FFP2 do not give enough protection. Tight-fitting masks need a face fit test and a clean-shaven wearer. HSE’s woodworking sheets say to use a powered respirator where RPE is worn continuously for more than an hour.

Protect skin and clothing

Provide coveralls that do not hold dust, synthetic rather than cotton, and washing facilities with warm water and mild skin cleansers. HSE says work clothing should go to a contract laundry, not home, and that gloves are not worn for manual machining, where they can be drawn in.

NoteRegulation 7(4)(e) requires appropriate hygiene measures, including adequate washing facilities.

Check, maintain and train

Check hoods, hoses and filters before work, and keep airflow indicators working. Have the extraction thoroughly examined and tested at least every 14 months. Train operatives to use the extraction, check their RPE and report symptoms.

NoteRegulation 9 requires control equipment to be kept in efficient working order and good repair. HSE says disposable masks are thrown away at the end of the shift.

How extraction is specified, checked and examined is in local exhaust ventilation. For a method statement, the carpentry and joinery RAMS template is already filled in for wood dust.

MDF dust

Medium density fibreboard

HSE describes MDF as wood fibres bonded with a synthetic resin adhesive. Most MDF is mainly softwood, but some brands contain more temperate hardwood. HSE says high levels of hardwood can be found in board from outside the UK and Ireland.

Machining or sanding MDF gives a mixture of softwood dust and any hardwood dust in the board. There may also be free formaldehyde, and dust particles carrying formaldehyde. Where hardwood dust is in the mix, EH40 applies the 3 mg/m³ hardwood limit to all of it.

The most common binder in board for dry conditions is urea-formaldehyde. HSE’s woodworking FAQ, last updated in March 2023, says free formaldehyde from E1 class boards made in the EU is thought to be insignificant, because the resin is fully reacted. Boards bound with PMDI have no added formaldehyde and give off only what occurs naturally in the wood.

Formaldehyde itself has a mandatory GB classification as a category 1B carcinogen, hazard statement H350, “may cause cancer”. EH40 marks it Carc, and EH40 asks for exposure to every Carc substance to be kept as low as is reasonably practicable.

HSE says to keep exposure to wood dust and formaldehyde as far below the WELs as is reasonably practicable. That means a low-emission or no-added-formaldehyde board where practicable, and extraction whenever MDF is machined or sanded. Clean up with at least a class M vacuum or a hose on the extraction, never an air line or brush.

Where formaldehyde vapour is also present, HSE says a half mask with both a P3 particle filter and a suitable filter for the vapour could be used. Our practical advice: HSE notes that what is in a board varies from product to product, so ask the supplier what the board contains and its formaldehyde class.

Health surveillance, reporting and the assessment

Wood dust causes asthma, so HSE expects health surveillance for everyone who might breathe it. The detail is in health surveillance; this is what applies to wood.

Who needs health surveillance

HSE says the programme should cover all workers who might breathe in wood dust. EH40 says health surveillance is appropriate for everyone exposed or liable to be exposed to a substance that may cause occupational asthma. HSE’s woodworking sheets add checks for the early signs of dermatitis.

EH40 paragraph 55; HSE wood dust page; HSE WD0

What it involves

HSE guidance: take advice from an occupational health professional, and assess breathing before exposure, or within about six weeks of it starting. Then a questionnaire and spirometry, a lung function test, usually once a year and more often for new workers. Where exposure is only occasional, or well controlled with clear results over a representative period, HSE says an annual questionnaire and a health record may be adequate.

HSE G402; HSE wood dust page

Health records

The law requires a health record for each worker under health surveillance, kept for at least 40 years from the last entry. The worker may see their own record on reasonable notice.

Regulation 11(3) and (4)

Reporting under RIDDOR

Occupational asthma is reportable on a doctor’s diagnosis where the work involves significant or regular exposure to a known respiratory sensitiser. Occupational dermatitis is reportable on the same basis for a skin sensitiser or irritant. So is any cancer attributed to occupational exposure to a known human carcinogen.

RIDDOR 2013, regulations 8 and 9

The COSHH assessment

Record the timbers and boards used, the tasks and how long they run, and who else works nearby. Add the extraction and its examination date, the RPE and fit tests, cleaning, and health surveillance. Record it on the free COSHH assessment template.

Regulation 6; our practical advice on what to record

Hazardous glues, stains, lacquers and preservatives used on the same job come with a safety data sheet from the supplier. See reading a safety data sheet for the sections that feed the assessment. For the disease itself, see occupational asthma.

The COSHH register in Unibuild

Every data sheet to hand,
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In Unibuild, each hazardous substance holds its safety data sheet and its supplier, linked to the jobs, materials and purchase orders that use it. Review dates are tracked, every version is kept, and the current one is the one out on site.

When an auditor or a principal contractor asks for the COSHH register, it is a search by name or supplier, not a spreadsheet somebody else kept.

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A data sheet for every substance held with its supplier
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Searched by product name or supplier

Free COSHH templates

Free to use and reuse, no sign-up

Free downloadCOSHH assessment templateOne substance per assessment: the hazards from the safety data sheet, who is exposed and how, the controls, PPE, storage, spills and first aid. Free downloadCOSHH register templateEvery hazardous substance on site or in the van, with its data sheet date, assessment reference, location and review date. Free downloadCOSHH risk assessment, pre-filledA risk assessment and method statement for work with cement, solvents, resins, dusts and fume on site, filled in and editable. Free downloadCOSHH symbols posterThe nine hazard pictograms and what each one means, for the store, the van or the welfare cabin. A4 or A3.

Asked most often

Wood dust: common questions

Is wood dust hazardous to health?

Yes. HSE says all wood dust is a substance hazardous to health. It can cause asthma, dermatitis and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. Hardwood dust can also cause cancer, particularly of the nose. COSHH applies because hardwood and softwood dust both have a workplace exposure limit.

What is the exposure limit for wood dust?

EH40 sets 3 mg/m³ for hardwood dust and 5 mg/m³ for softwood dust, both as 8-hour time-weighted averages of the inhalable fraction. Neither has a short-term limit. Where hardwood and softwood dust are mixed, the 3 mg/m³ hardwood limit applies to all of it.

Is hardwood dust a carcinogen?

Yes. COSHH Schedule 1 lists hardwood dusts, which brings them inside the legal definition of a carcinogen, and EH40 marks them Carc. HSE says hardwood dust can cause cancer, particularly of the nose. Control only counts as adequate if exposure is as low as is reasonably practicable, not just under 3 mg/m³.

Is MDF dust more dangerous than other wood dust?

HSE treats it as wood dust: mainly softwood, with hardwood in some boards, plus some formaldehyde from the resin. HSE says powered sanding of softwood and MDF can give higher dust levels than hardwood. Use extraction whenever MDF is machined or sanded, and a low-emission board where practicable.

Is MDF banned in the UK?

No. HSE says it is not aware of any country in the world where MDF is banned. Employers must still control exposure to its dust and to formaldehyde under COSHH, keeping both as far below the workplace exposure limits as is reasonably practicable.

What mask do I need for wood dust?

HSE says RPE with an assigned protection factor of at least 20, such as an FFP3 disposable mask or a half mask with a P3 filter. Nuisance dust masks, FFP1 and FFP2 do not give enough protection. Tight-fitting masks need a face fit test and a clean-shaven wearer. RPE backs up extraction; it does not replace it.

Can I sweep up wood dust or blow it off with an air line?

No. HSE says never sweep or use compressed air, because both put fine dust back into the air. Clean up with a vacuum that meets at least dust class M, or a suction hose on the extraction. HSE says an industrial vacuum with a HEPA filter is not adequate.

Do I need a COSHH assessment for wood dust?

Yes. COSHH says work liable to expose employees to a substance hazardous to health must not start until a suitable and sufficient assessment is made. An employer with 5 or more employees records the significant findings. The free COSHH assessment template on this site can be used to record it.

Is there a COSHH data sheet for wood dust?

Wood dust is made by the work rather than bought, so the COSHH assessment draws on EH40 and HSE’s woodworking guidance. For MDF and other boards, ask the supplier what the board contains and its formaldehyde class. Hazardous glues, stains, lacquers and preservatives come with a safety data sheet from the supplier.

Do woodworkers need health surveillance?

HSE says yes, for everyone who might breathe in wood dust, because it causes asthma. That usually means a baseline check, then a questionnaire and spirometry about once a year, set up with an occupational health professional. HSE also advises checks for dermatitis. A health record is kept for at least 40 years.

Substances and diseases

Read in any order

GuideSilica dustWhere respirable crystalline silica comes from on site, what it does to the lungs, the exposure limit and the controls. GuideIsocyanatesIsocyanates in 2K paints, foams, coatings and adhesives: asthma risk, controls, RPE and health surveillance. You are hereWood dustHardwood, softwood and MDF dust: the exposure limits, why hardwood dust is a carcinogen, and how to control it. GuideCement burns and dermatitisWhy wet cement burns and causes dermatitis, how to prevent it, and what to do when it gets on skin. GuideSolventsSolvents in paints, thinners, adhesives, strippers and cleaners: the health effects, enclosed spaces and controls. GuideDiesel, petrol and exhaustDiesel and petrol as hazardous substances, diesel engine exhaust on site and in workshops, and the controls. GuideLead at workLead paint, roofing and pipework: why the lead regulations apply instead of COSHH, and what they require. GuideOccupational asthmaThe substances that cause asthma at work, how it develops, the legal duties and health surveillance. GuideOccupational dermatitisContact dermatitis at work: wet work, cement, resins and cleaning products, prevention, skin checks and reporting.

Sources

Great Britain law and HSE guidance, read on the dates above. Northern Ireland has its own COSHH Regulations.

Next step

The COSHH register,
tied to the job.

Unibuild keeps each substance’s data sheet and supplier against the jobs, materials and purchase orders that use it, with review dates tracked and every version kept.

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