# Engineering Controls Database

Minus

## Control of Wood Dust for Horizontal Belt Sanders

| Problem:                                        | The use of horizontal belt sanders in woodworking creates 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:                         | Surveys by NIOSH researchers indicated that wood dust from the horizontal belt sanders used in woodworking was not effectively controlled. As a result, researchers developed an inexpensive auxiliary ventilation system for the horizontal belt sanders that significantly reduced wood dust emissions into the workroom.Typically, belt sander emissions are controlled only by an exhaust hood covering the drive pulley. The new system consists of two devices: a narrow Auxiliary Hood and an Air Jet Stripper. The Auxiliary Hood is located between the belt surface and the worktable downstream from the sanding operation. The Air Jet Stripper is located inside the main exhaust hood. These two devices, in combination with the main exhaust hood, decrease wood dust in the workroom without affecting the sanding operations. In addition, the Jet Stripper cleans the belt, reducing the frequency of belt changes.**Top view of belt sander with auxiliary ventilation system** |
| 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:                                       | air jet stripperbelt sanderconstructionconstructionwoodworkingwoodworking                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| How well does this control work?                | The new ventilation system reduced wood dust emitted into the workroom by more than 75% and can easily be built into new belt sanders or added to existing ones.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |

November 16, 2018
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health