Some of the most beautiful wood in the world can be toxic to the woodturner. I came across an excellent article today about wood and dust toxicity that provided a color chart detailing out wood type, reaction, potency, risk etc. (See below)
It has been noted as far back as 60 A.D. that wood could adversely affect your health. However, only 2 to 5% of the population ever develop an allergic reaction.
Irritant wood sensitivity can manifest itself as a rash, similar to a poison ivy reaction. Some of the most common irritant woods are black locust, cocobolo, ebony, oleander, satinwood, sequoia, and yew.
When discussing sensitivities, let's not forget that mold can also live between the bark and sapwood. While this creates a wonderful spalting effect, the mold can cause severe respiratory problems.
Willow and birch both possess significant concentrations of salicylic acid which is a predecessor of aspirin. Ensure you take the proper precautions when working with these woods, especially if you have an aspirin allergy.
I have personally been extremely lucky in regards to wood toxicity. However, there is one wood that no matter how hard I try to protect myself, it gives me a stuffy nose which lasts for several days. Just as if I had a cold.
When reviewing the toxicity chart, I immediately scrolled down to find my particular culprit, Purpleheart. I did not find my specific symptoms listed, but I did find that it has a medium toxicity level and allergic reactions are fairly common.
So far we have focused on the potential toxicity issues for the woodturner, but what happens once we have a finished product? The short answer is that a sealed and finished wood project should not pose a toxic risk. However, each person has his or her own sensitivities. For example: Some individuals are allergic to nuts, so walnut wood or any item sealed with walnut oil might produce an allergic reaction for these individuals.
I have touched on some of the hi-lites, but I encourage you to click on the link below and read the entire article.
http://www.stripersonline.com/t/561510/wood-dust-toxicity
Wood Toxicity Chart
Index of Meanings
