I was doing woodworking occasionally for last 15 years as a hobby and usually experienced flu-like symptoms after heavy dust inhalations.
Last 3 years I spent significantly more time doing woodworking and those symptoms worsened,
I started feel nose irritation, burning sensation and dryness almost constantly.
So I decided to solve the problem radically:
now 3 big fans sitting on top of each other in a door opening sucking air from workshop,
3hp Oneida dust collector is on whenever dust is produced ( and it exhausts outside)
and I do not enter workshop without wearing p100 rubber mask.
All that equipment seems to have little or no effect. After doing woodworking for 3-4 hours my nostrils are burning. It never starts right away but in a couple of hours.
I work mostly with oak.
Tried to work with red eastern cedar and stopped right away because it seems to be 10 times more toxic
Does anyone else experience this?
When I have that rubber mask on I still can smell wood despite its HEPA filter.
I just wonder are there better respirators?
May be I should use one that not just protect from toxic dust but from organic vapors as well?
Do you guys have any suggestions?