The table below lists the toxic effects for a number of woods used by woodworkers. It first appeared in the June 1990 issue of American Woodturner and was derived from a number of reference sources, listed below the table. The information in the table is fairly self-explanatory but a few words are in order regarding the Reaction column. In general, the woods are listed as either irritants or sensitizers. Here is a description of each:
Irritant: The wood causes a reaction shortly after exposure. Typical symptoms are a rash, itchy skin, sneezing, and bronchial inflammation. The reaction tends to go away fairly quickly once you’re in the clear.
Sensitizer: Produces a more severe reaction than an irritant with a longer latency period (hours to months) before symptoms appear. Most people are unaffected by sensitizers but once you develop an allergic reaction (i.e., you get sensitized to the allergen), the effects tend to get worse over time.
| Type | Reaction | Site | Potency | Source | Incidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bald Cypress | Sensitizer | Respiratory | + | Dust | Rare |
| Balsam Fir | Sensitizer | Eyes, skin | + | Leaves, bark | Common |
| Beech | Sensitizer, nasopharyngeal cancer | Eyes, skin, respiratory | ++ | Leaves, bark; dust | Common |
| Birch | Sensitizer | Respiratory | ++ | Wood, dust | Common |
| Black Locust | Irritant, nausea | Eyes, skin | +++ | Leaves, bark | Common |
| Blackwood | Sensitizer | Eyes, skin | ++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Boxwood | Sensitizer | Eyes, skin | ++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Cashew | Sensitizer | Eyes, skin | + | Dust, wood | Rare |
| Cocobolo | Irritant, sensitizer | Eyes, skin, respiratory | +++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Dahoma | Irritant | Eyes, skin | ++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Ebony | Irritant, sensitizer | Eyes, skin | ++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Elm | Irritant | Eyes, skin | + | Dust | Rare |
| Goncalo aves | Sensitizer | Eyes, skin | ++ | Dust, wood | Rare |
| Greenheart (Surinam) | Sensitizer | Eyes, skin | +++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Hemlock | Nasopharyngeal cancer | Respiratory | ? | Dust | Unknown |
| Iroko | Irritant, sensitizer, pneumonia | Eyes, skin, respiratory | +++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Mahogany (Swietenia) | Sensitizer, pneumonia | Skin, respiratory | + | Dust | Unknown |
| Mansonia | Irritant, sensitizer, nausea | Eyes, skin | +++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Maple (C. Corticale mold) | Sensitizer, pneumonia | Respiratory | +++ | Dust | Common |
| Mimosa | Nausea | ? | Leaves, bark | Unknown | |
| Myrtle | Sensitizer | Respiratory | ++ | Leaves, bark; dust | Common |
| Oak | Sensitizer, nasopharyngeal cancer | Eyes, skin | ++, ? | Leaves, bark; dust | Rare, unknown |
| Obeche | Irritant, sensitizer | Eyes, skin, respiratory | +++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Oleander | Direct toxin, nausea | Cardiac | ++++ | Dust, wood, leaves, bark | Common |
| Olivewood | Irritant, sensitizer | Eyes, skin, respiratory | +++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Opepe | Sensitizer | Respiratory | + | Dust | Rare |
| Padauk | Sensitizer, nausea | Eyes, skin | + | Dust, wood | Rare |
| Pau ferro | Sensitizer | Eyes, skin | + | Dust, wood | Rare |
| Peroba rosa | Irritant, nausea | Respiratory | ++ | Dust, wood | Unknown |
| Purpleheart | Nausea | ++ | Dust, wood | Common | |
| Quebracho | Irritant, nasopharyngeal cancer, nausea | Respiratory | ++, ? | Dust, leaves, bark | Common, unknown |
| Redwood | Sensitizer, nasopharyngeal cancer, pneumonia | Skin, eyes, respiratory | ++, ? | Dust | Rare, unknown |
| Rosewoods | Irritant, sensitizer | Skin, eyes, respiratory | ++++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Satinwood | Irritant | Skin, eyes, respiratory | +++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Sassafras | Sensitizer, nasopharyngeal cancer, direct toxin, nausea | Respiratory | +, ? | Dust, wood, leaves, bark | Rare, unknown |
| Sequoia | Irritant | Respiratory | + | Dust | Rare |
| Snakewood | Irritant | Respiratory | ++ | Dust, wood | Rare |
| Spruce | Sensitizer | Respiratory | + | Dust, wood | Rare |
| Walnut, Black | Sensitizer | Skin, eyes | ++ | Dust | Common |
| Wenge | Sensitizer | Skin, eyes, respiratory | ++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Western red cedar | Sensitizer | Respiratory | +++ | Dust, leaves, bark | Common |
| Willow | Sensitizer, nausea | Respiratory | + | Dust, wood, leaves, bark | Unknown |
| Teak | Sensitizer, pneumonia | Skin, eyes, respiratory | ++ | Dust | Common |
| Yew | Irritant, direct toxin, nausea | Skin, eyes, cardiac | ++,++++ | Dust, wood | Common |
| Zebrawood | Sensitizer | Skin, eyes | ++ | Dust, wood | Rare |
Reference:
1. Woods Toxic to Man, author unknownbr>2. Woods, B., Calnan, C.D., “Toxic Woods.” Br. Journal of Dermatology 1976
3. ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety 1983
4. Lame, K., McAnn, M., AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, AMA 1985
5. Poisondex, Micromedix Inc. 1990
Additional Wood Toxicity Data
In addition to the material presented in this table, here are a few other sources containing information about wood toxicity:
Toxic Woods, HSE’s Woodworking National Interest Group – Information on the reported adverse health effects associated with the more common woods used in commercial quantities within the UK, such as mahogany, oak, pine, teak etc.
Potentially Toxic Woods – Prepared by Roy Banner, a wood turner from Torrance, California who almost lost his life in 1989 to anaphylactic shock after turning pieces of exotic wood.
