Dust Almanac

Oak

Quercus spp. · Fagaceae · hardwood

Also known as: red oak, white oak, northern red oak, English oak, European oak, Quercus

Region: Northern Hemisphere; main lumber species from North America and Europe

Planed board of red oak with pinkish-tan heartwood, bold cathedral grain arches and visible open pores.

Oak is one of the most widely used furniture and flooring hardwoods, sold mainly as red oak (e.g. Quercus rubra) and white oak (e.g. Quercus alba, and European Quercus robur). It is strong, open-pored, and common in cabinetry, flooring, barrels, and joinery, so many woodworkers generate a lot of oak dust.

Health hazards

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    IARC classifies all wood dust as carcinogenic to humans, mainly linked to cancer of the nasal cavity and sinuses after long-term heavy exposure. This applies to every species, so dust control matters whatever you cut.1

    Effects
    nasal and sinus cancer
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    ACGIH names oak dust specifically as a confirmed human carcinogen (A1), one of only two woods with that class. The classification covers oak as a group rather than red or white oak separately.2

    Effects
    nasal and sinus cancer
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Asthma / respiratory allergy

    Evidence: Confirmed in clinical testing

    Three workers in Quebec developed asthma from oak dust, confirmed by specific inhalation challenge in the lab. The species of oak is not given in the abstract; the UK HSE also lists asthma for oak in general.34

    Effects
    occupational asthma
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Respiratory irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    The UK HSE lists sneezing for oak. A French study of beech and oak furniture workers found more sore throat and more twitchy airways as dust levels rose; it did not separate oak from beech.45

    Effects
    sneezing, sore throat, bronchial hyperresponsiveness
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Eye irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    The UK HSE lists eye irritation as a reported effect of oak dust. We did not find a primary paper describing this for oak specifically.4

    Effects
    eye irritation
    Exposure route
    eyes
    From
    dust

Not finding a hazard listed here does not mean this wood is safe. All wood dust is hazardous; see how to protect yourself.

Exposure limits

Workplace exposure limits (8-hour average, mg/m³)
BodyLimitNotes
ACGIH TLV1 mg/m³ (inhalable)8-hour time-weighted average, as restated by OSHA source
EU binding limit (hardwood)2 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
UK WEL (hardwood)3 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
NIOSH REL1 mg/m³Recommended limit for all wood dust

Compare limits across agencies.

Cancer classifications

ACGIH also lists beech as A1. Hardwood-dust studies often pool oak and beech, so oak-only numbers are scarce.

Sources

  1. IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Wood Dust and Formaldehyde. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Vol. 62. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1995. Link
  2. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link
  3. Malo JL, Cartier A, Desjardins A, Van de Weyer R, Vandenplas O. Occupational asthma caused by oak wood dust. Chest. 1995;108(3):856-8. Link
  4. Health and Safety Executive. Toxic woods. Woodworking Information Sheet No 30 (Revision 1), WIS30(rev1). HSE; first published 11/2012. Withdrawn from hse.gov.uk (404 since c. Jan 2020); archived copy cited. Link
  5. Bohadana AB, Massin N, Wild P, Toamain JP, Engel S, Goutet P. Symptoms, airway responsiveness, and exposure to dust in beech and oak wood workers. Occup Environ Med. 2000;57(4):268-73. Link

Last reviewed .