Hardwood dust is a known human carcinogen. Measure it. Control it.
We sample inhalable wood dust against the EH40 WELs for hardwood and softwood, evaluate on-tool and bench LEV, and provide a prioritised improvement plan for joinery shops and construction operations.
- UK-wide since 2013
- Independent assessments
- ISO 9001 accredited
- Practical control advice
What this means for you
Evidence you can act on and defend.
Measured exposure evidence
Data suitable for HSE, insurers and audits.
Independent assessment
Occupational hygiene review of real exposure risk.
Practical control recommendations
Prioritised actions based on risk and operational practicality.
Compliance support
Evidence to support COSHH and internal governance.
Speak with a wood dust specialist
0800 433 7914
sales@sysco-env.co.ukMon–Fri · 08:00–18:00 · Independent advice · Fixed-price scope
Typical response: same working day
What happens next
Most wood dust surveys are completed in one shift.
We attend during representative machining, sample the operatives most at risk, evaluate LEV and housekeeping, and report against the WELs with a prioritised plan.
No unnecessary disruption. No generic paperwork. No unnecessary complexity.
Whether exposure is controlled
A clear yes or no, backed by measurement.
Where the highest risks are
Locations, tasks and roles ranked by exposure.
What actions matter most
A prioritised plan you can budget and schedule.
What you get
Four answers. One clear plan.
You need to know what your workforce is exposed to, whether your controls are effective, what actions matter most, and how to demonstrate control confidently.
That is exactly what we deliver.
Know what your team breathes
We measure real exposure on the people most at risk, using validated methods for wood dust — no guesswork.
Know where you stand legally
We compare your numbers to the WELs of 5 mg/m³ (softwood) and 3 mg/m³ (hardwood, hardwood-blend treated as hardwood).
Know if your controls work
An independent review of your LEV, ventilation, RPE and work practices — what's effective and what isn't.
Get a report you can act on
Clear findings and a prioritised action plan suitable for HSE, insurers and operational management.
Why clients call
If any of this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
- 01
An auditor is asking
HSE, your insurer or a client wants evidence — not assurances
We provide measured wood dust data and a clear technical report that resolves the issue quickly.
- 02
Your team is worried
Operatives are reporting concerns or symptoms
We attend site, quantify workforce exposure and provide clear evidence of current risk levels.
- 03
You suspect a problem
You know there's a risk and you want measured data before it becomes a crisis
We quantify exposure, assess it against current limits and provide a prioritised corrective action plan.
What we answer for you
Three questions, settled.
- Where your people are exposed
- We map the tasks, areas and shifts where wood dust matters, then sample what your team actually breathes — not a generic site average.
- Whether your controls are working
- An independent review of your LEV, ventilation, PPE and work practices — what is effective and what requires improvement.
- What you need to fix first
- A prioritised, costed action list — the smallest set of changes that gets you compliant and measurably safer.
How we work with you
From your first call to your action plan.
- 1
We listen first — your site, your concerns, your deadline.
- 2
We walk the workplace with your team to see exposure as it actually happens.
- 3
We sample on the people most at risk, using validated occupational hygiene methods for wood dust.
- 4
We assess your existing controls honestly — what's working, what isn't.
- 5
You receive a clear technical report suitable for operational, compliance and regulatory readers.
- 6
We hand you a prioritised action plan you can budget, schedule and defend.
Typical survey outputs
What you receive at the end of the engagement.
- Personal exposure monitoring data
- Wood dust personal sampling against EH40 limits
- Static / area sampling where required
- LEV and ventilation observations
- RPE suitability review
- Exposure risk mapping by task
- Prioritised corrective actions
- Defensible technical report
Client testimony
“Sysco's wood-dust survey identified two LEV bench failures and gave us a clear, costed fix list.”
— Workshop manager
UK furniture maker
Typical environments we assess
Wherever wood dust risk affects your people.
- Joinery workshops
- Furniture production
- Sawmills
- Site carpentry
- Heritage restoration
- Pattern & model shops
Background
Wood dust exposure, in detail.
What is occupational wood dust?
Wood dust is generated by sawing, sanding, routing, planing and turning timber. The size distribution and composition depend on the species and the machining process. Hardwood dust (oak, beech, mahogany) is classified as a Group 1 IARC carcinogen and is causally linked to nasal sinus cancer.
How we sample wood dust
Personal inhalable sampling on IOM heads at 2.0 L/min over the shift, analysed gravimetrically. Where the species mix includes hardwood, the result is reported against the lower hardwood WEL.
Practical controls
Properly designed bench and downdraft LEV, on-tool extraction (M-class minimum) for hand-held machines, well-maintained dust extraction at fixed machines, regular HEPA vacuum housekeeping (no sweeping or compressed-air blowdown), and FFP3 RPE for residual exposure.
Related services
Often assessed alongside wood dust.
LEV testing (TExT)
Statutory thorough examination & test of extraction systems under COSHH reg 9.
Explore 02Hazardous substances (COSHH)
Full COSHH exposure assessments across solvents, dusts, fumes and bio-aerosols.
Explore 03Respirable crystalline silica
RCS exposure measurement for stoneworks, construction and quarrying.
Explore 04Diesel exhaust (DEEE)
Personal sampling and elemental carbon analysis for diesel-exposed environments.
ExploreCommon questions
Wood Dust — FAQs.
Quick answers to the questions we hear most from operations, HSE and procurement teams.
- What's the WEL for wood dust?
- 5 mg/m³ for softwood and 3 mg/m³ for hardwood, both as 8-hour TWA inhalable.
- Mixed species?
- Where any hardwood is processed, the lower hardwood WEL applies to the whole exposure.
- Do you also test our LEV?
- Yes — full TExT to HSG258 alongside the personal sampling, in one visit.
- Engineered boards (MDF, plywood)?
- Yes — these are often more reactive than the parent timber and we sample accordingly.
- How long does a survey take?
- Most joinery shops are completed in one shift.
- Where in the UK do you work?
- Nationwide UK coverage.
Speak with a wood dust specialist
Tell us your operation. We'll quote a fixed-price visit.
Tell us
- machinery and species processed,
- current LEV and housekeeping,
- operative numbers and shifts,
- and your reporting deadline.
We will provide
- a clear scope,
- fixed quotation,
- proposed attendance strategy,
- and expected reporting timeframe.
Send us a brief
Outline the sites, tasks and timelines of concern — we'll reply with a clear scope and fixed quotation.
From the field