# Engineering Controls Database

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## Control of Wood Dust for Automated Routers and Large Diameter Disc Sanders

| Problem:                                        | Automated routers have been found to create significant amounts of wood dust.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
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| What this means to you:                         | Workers exposed to wood dusts have experienced a variety of adverse health effects such as eye and skin irritation, allergy, reduced lung function, asthma, and nasal cancer.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Description of control:                         | NIOSH researchers found that the wood dust generated by automated routers is generally not adequately controlled. To address this problem, researchers designed and tested a new control system that substantially reduced dust emissions.Automated routers, consisting of a moving router head and table, are capable of routing in any direction. These high speed machines generate substantial amounts of wood dust. Generally, the wood dust is controlled by a local exhaust system located at the router head. Despite this control, significant amounts of wood dust are emitted into the workroom. A computer controlled Jet Stripper System was developed to control these emissions. This system consists of 24 jets combined into 8 operational units uniformly located around the inside periphery of the brush holder. The Jet Stripper and brush surround the router bit. The jets are supplied with pressurized air and are activated by pneumatic valves as needed. The air slows down the dust particles so they can be collected by the local exhaust hood. The Jet Stripper does not interfere with the operator, requires minimal maintenance and is inexpensive to install and operate. This control can also be used with conventional, one-dimensional routers with some modification. Jet Stripper System for large diameter disc sandersSurveys by NIOSH researchers found that wood dust created by large diameter disc sanders is often not effectively controlled. To address this problem, researchers designed a ventilation control system that significantly reduced wood dust emissions into the workroom.The standard dust control arrangement for disc sanders usually consists of an exhaust hood under the worktable that covers the lower half of the disc and a cover around the back of the sanding disc above the worktable. Even with this control, significant amounts of wood dust are emitted into the workroom. A Jet Stripper System was designed to improve dust control. The Jet Stripper supplies pressurized air to the disc inside the hood. The jet of high speed air blows the dust particles out of the disc air layer so they can be captured by the exhaust hood. Also, the jet removes the dust particles embedded in the sanding disc. The advantages of this control are that it does not interfere with the operator, requires minimal maintenance and is inexpensive to operate. The Jet Stripper may also extend the life of the sanding discs by dislodging the wood dust from the sanding surface.**Jet stripper system for automated routers****Disc sander with jet stripper installed in exhaust hood** |
| Engineering and Physical Hazard Report Numbers: | 180-05-A; 180-05-B; 180-05-C; 180-05-D; 180-05-E; 180-05-F; 180-05-G; 180-05-H; 180-05-I; 180-05-J1; 180-05-J2; 180-05-K1; 180-05-K2; 180-05-L; 180-05-M; 180-05-N; 180-05-O; 180-05-P; 180-05-Q; 180-05-R; 180-05-S; 180-05-T; 180-05-U; 180-05-V; 180-11-A; 185-05-A; 185-05-B; 185-05-C; 185-05-D;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| NAICS Codes:                                    | 33321;4213                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Keywords:                                       | automated routerconstructionconstructionjet stripper systemlarge diameter disc sanderwoodworkingwoodworking                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| How well does this control work?                | Testing shows that the jet stripper system for automated routers reduces wood dust emissions by 90 percent.The jet stripper system for disc sanders reduced wood dust emissions by an average of 60 percent in laboratory studies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |

November 16, 2018
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health