Is there a safe level of western red cedar dust?
Unfortunately, there is no known safe level of exposure for western red cedar dust. What is known is that reducing the level of western red cedar dust can reduce the prevalence of occupational asthma. For example, in one cedar mill, 15 percent of workers exposed to dust levels between 2 and 6 mg/m3 had western red cedar asthma, while only 6 percent of workers exposed to levels less than 1 mg/m3 had asthma symptoms3. Are some workers more likely than others to develop western red cedar asthma? Yes, but there is no way to predict who will become sensitized to western red cedar dust, so it is important to limit exposures to all workers. Neither smoking, nor a previous history of allergies, has been shown to increase a workers risk of developing western red cedar asthma. How can western red cedar asthma be prevented? The first step in preventing western red cedar asthma is hazard assessment. Managers should identify the areas in the facility that produce the greatest amount of dust. Next,
