Assessing chainsaw operators' exposure to wood dust during timber harvesting

Exposure to wood dust during logging operations is generally associated with a variety of adverse health effects. The aim of the present study is to determine the exposure of forestry workers to wood dust during timber harvesting tasks in a cutover. The concentrations of inhalable hardwood dust produced from Fagus sylvatica and Quercus petraea as well as softwood dust from Pinus brutia stands were examined. In total, 24 samples were collected with the use of a Personal SKC Button Sampler. Dust collection was performed every working day. The study also took into account the duration of each work phase in which the chainsaw was used (running time) as well as the delays, during which the chainsaw was either at idle or not running at all (downtime). Measurements were carried out throughout the daily work of the logger, which lasted from June to September. Mean concentration of inhalable dust for an 8 h exposure was found to be approximately 4.84 mg m(-3). Fifty per cent of the samples showed dust concentrations lower than 3.00 mg m(-3), while in approximately 20.8% of the samples, dust levels were higher than 5 mg m(-3). Results also revealed that the concentration of inhalable dust is in inverse proportion to the increase in breast height diameter, implying that larger trees generated lower dust amounts. Furthermore, timbering activities in Quercus petraea stand were found to result in higher dust concentrations.