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Original poster

Is this dangerous or not? Please help!

31 replies

Pepperguacdip · 19/04/2022 22:21

I’ve recently started working around sawdust and other dusty materials with poor ventilation. Usually it’s not a problem, but the other day I inhaled a lot of it accidentally and spent the entire night coughing from it. It was a dry cough but felt like there was something moving in my chest when I coughed (bit of phlegm? Not sure)

So my question is, is sawdust actually harmful if breathed in? Is it normal it gives a bad cough? I presumed it was normal and just ignored it until it went away but equally I want to be aware if it’s potentially dangerous. If I breath a dust cloud of sawdust in again, is there anyway to clear it out? Or do I just wait and cough it out my system? Should I do anything?

I’m not too concerned about it being dangerous long term as I’m not going to be exposed to it long term, I just need reassurance that I’m doing the right thing by ignoring it if I accidentally inhale it again!

OP posts:
Sunseed · 19/04/2022 22:25

Might be prudent to wear a dust mask?

grxxxx · 19/04/2022 22:26

Whenever I've seen someone cutting wood they usually mask up and have ventilation so it cannot be very good for you to inhale it regularly
On an aside , horses with respiratory problems are bedded on dust extracted shavings

AnotherVice · 19/04/2022 22:27

Well yes, you could get pneumonia.

HalloVegBot · 19/04/2022 22:29

www.hse.gov.uk/woodworking/wooddust.htm

HalloVegBot · 19/04/2022 22:29

I'd wear a mask!

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 19/04/2022 22:30

You should always wear a mask when you're working with dusty materials like that.

Hawkins001 · 19/04/2022 22:31

askinglot.com/what-happens-if-you-inhale-sawdust

Hawkins001 · 19/04/2022 22:32

Usually when using a bale of sawdust I use my own mask, that has helped prevent the dry cough, as I made that error when I first used the sawdust in a confined area.

AchillesPoirot · 19/04/2022 22:32

Get a proper dust mask!

Mintlegs · 19/04/2022 22:32

Yes, wear a mask.

TimeForTeaAndG · 19/04/2022 22:32

Working as a job? Your employer should be providing proper PPE.

Working as a hobby? Get a decent dust mask.

ENoeuf · 19/04/2022 22:33

Did your workplace not provide you with a safe system of work and risk assessment? Or do you mean as a hobby?

FannyFifer · 19/04/2022 22:34

Wtf, no you should not be inhaling sawdust, that's really not good. U need a dust mask.

DeedlessIndeed · 19/04/2022 22:34

Agree with the mask, occupational asthma is a thing.

Also shouldn't your work be providing you with a health assessment for that? I know I had to do a physical with a nurse before working in a similar environment in a research lab. Was given all the PPE. Otherwise you could claim that your health was damaged due to the work and the employer would be up shit creek?

ladydimitrescu · 19/04/2022 22:35

Yes, of course it's dangerous. It could end up in your lungs. You need the correct PPE.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 19/04/2022 22:39

Eye protection, too.

You don't want sawdust or splinters in your cornea.

WilsonMilson · 19/04/2022 22:40

It is absolutely dangerous, wear a mask!

Original poster
Pepperguacdip · 19/04/2022 22:50

Apologies, I should have said, this is recreational/part of a hobby, it’s not my occupation so no risk assessment or ppe.

A dust mask sounds good, I’ll invest in one.

The cough after I accidentally breathed it in was awful; it felt like something was moving in my chest when I coughed. It went away thankfully but only after ignoring it I realised maybe I shouldn’t have. Everything’s fine now thankfully

If it happens again and I accidentally inhale it, is there a way to get it out? Do I just need to cough it out and wait for it to clear on its own?

OP posts:
RobotValkyrie · 19/04/2022 22:54

Wear a dust mask. Once the dust is in, there really isn't much you can do, just pray your body can cope with it and your lungs don't end up damaged.

bossybloss · 19/04/2022 23:05

@AnotherVice

Well yes, you could get pneumonia.
My daughter contracted pneumonia and the specialist suggested that it could have been due to the sawdust from our Flores being sanded.
bossybloss · 19/04/2022 23:05

Floors!

Lunar27 · 19/04/2022 23:10

@AnotherVice

Well yes, you could get pneumonia.
Goodness me, this!

My best man is a 6'3" carpenter with a rugby player physique. Strong as an ox but got pneumonia and it nearly killed him.

Sawdust is nasty and worse if you're working with MDF. Wear a mask. They're not expensive and can save your life.

Georgeskitchen · 19/04/2022 23:14

Yes you should have a mask and goggles. It can be very dangerous

Lunar27 · 19/04/2022 23:16

Sorry, the point I was making was I visited my mate in hospital and he looked like something from a horror film. Muscle mass was literally zero and he was a bag of bones. Horrific so please, please wear a mask and look after yourself Flowers