Toxology of various Wood Species

Toxicity of Various Wood Species

This chart first appeared in the June 1990 issue of American Woodturner.
It has been posted on many websites and presented in many formats ...

Wood Species	Reaction	Areas Affected	Potency 1=Low, 4=High	Assimilation Source	Incidence
Bald Cypress	Sensitizer	Respiratory	1	Dust	Rare
Balsam Fir	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	1	Leaves, Bark	Common
Basswood	Sensitizer	Respiratory	1	Dust, Wood
Beech	Sensitizer, Cancer	Respiratory, Skin, Eyes	2	Dust, Leaves, Bark	Common
Birch	Sensitizer	Respiratory	2	Dust, Wood	Common
Black Locust	Irritant, Nausea, Malaise	Eyes, Skin	3	Leaves, Bark	Common
Blackwood	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	2	Dust, Wood	Common
Boxwood	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	2	Dust, Wood	Common
Cashew	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	1	Dust, Wood	Rare
Cocobolo	Irritant, Sensitizer,	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	3	Dust, Wood	Common
Dahoma	Irritant	Eyes, Skin	2	Dust, Wood	Common
Ebony	Irritant, Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	2	Dust, Wood	Common
Elm	Irritant	Eyes, Skin	1	Dust	Rare
Goncalo Alves	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	2	Dust, Wood	Rare
Greenheart	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	3	Dust, Wood	Common
Hemlock	Cancer	Respiratory	?	Dust	Uncommon
Iroko	Irritant, Sensitizer, Hypersensitivity Pneumonia	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	3	Dust, Wood	Common
Jelutong	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	2	Dust, Wood	Uncommon
Mahogany	Sensitizer, Hypersensitivity Pneumonia	Skin, Respiratory	1	Dust	Common
Mansonia	Irritant, Sensitizer, Nausea, Malaise	Eyes, Skin	3	Dust, Wood	Common
Maple (Spalted)	Sensitizer, Hypersensitivity Pneumonia	Respiratory	3	Dust	Common
Mimosa	Nausea, Malaise	Internal	?	Leaves, Bark	Uncommon
Myrtle	Sensitizer	Respiratory	2	Dust, Leaves, Bark	Common
Oak	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	2	Dust, Leaves, Bark	Rare
Obeche	Irritant, Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	3	Dust, Wood	Common
Oleander	Direct Toxin	Cancer, Nausea, Malaise	4	Dust, Wood, Leaves, Bark	Common
Olivewood	Irritant, Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	3	Dust, Wood	Common
Opepe	Sensitizer	Respiratory	1	Dust	Rare
Padauk	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	1	Dust, Wood	Rare
Pau Ferro	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	1	Dust, Wood	Rare
Peroba Rosa	Irritant	Respiratory, Nausea, Malaise	2	Dust, Wood	Uncommon
Purpleheart	Irritant	Nausea, Malaise	2	Dust, Wood	Common
Quebracho	Irritant	Respiratory, Nausea, Malaise	2	Leaves, Bark, Dust	Common
Redwood	Sensitizer, Hypersensitivity Pneumonia	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	2	Dust	Rare
Rosewoods	Sensitizer, Irritant	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	4	Dust, Wood	Uncommon
Satinwood	Irritant	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	3	Dust, Wood	Common
Sassafras	Sensitizer	Respiratory	1	Dust	Common
Sequoia	Irritant	Respiratory	1	Dust	Rare
Snakewood	Irritant	Respiratory	2	Dust, Wood	Rare
Spruce	Sensitizer	Respiratory	1	Dust, Wood	Rare
Tupelo	Sensitizer	Eyes, Respiratory	1	Dust
Walnut, Black	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	2	Dust, Wood	Common
Wenge	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	1	Dust, Wood	Common
Willow	Sensitizer	Respiratory, Nausea, Malaise	1	Dust, Wood, Leaves, Bark	Uncommon
Western Red Cedar	Sensitizer	Respiratory	3	Dust, Leaves, Bark	Common
Teak	Sensitizer, Hypersensitivity Pneumonia	Eyes, Skin, Respiratory	2	Dust	Common
Yew	Irritant Direct Toxin	Eyes, Skin Cardiac	2 4	Dust Dust, Wood	Common Common
Zebrawood	Sensitizer	Eyes, Skin	2	Dust, Wood
References: 1. Woods Toxic to Man, author unknown 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