Dust Almanac

Ramin

Gonystylus bancanus · Thymelaeaceae · hardwood

Region: Southeast Asia (Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo)

Planed board of ramin with uniform pale straw-colored wood and a fine, even, straight grain.

A pale, straight-grained, fine-textured Southeast Asian hardwood. Commonly sold as dowels, mouldings, picture frame stock, and toy and furniture parts.

Health hazards

  • Asthma / respiratory allergy

    Evidence: Confirmed in clinical testing

    Occupational asthma from ramin dust was confirmed with skin tests and bronchial challenge in a Spanish study of obeche workers. The same patients reacted to ramin even if they had not worked with it, showing cross-reactivity between the two woods.1

    Effects
    asthma
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

    Evidence: Confirmed in clinical testing

    One worker developed an alveolitis-like illness from ramin dust; the drop in lung function was reproduced by an inhalation challenge in the laboratory.2

    Effects
    extrinsic allergic alveolitis, airway obstruction, reduced gas transfer
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Skin irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    HSE lists dermatitis from ramin and notes it may come from the bark. Two dermatology case reports describe skin sensitivity to ramin wood.345

    Effects
    dermatitis
    Exposure route
    skin
    From
    dust, bark

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    IARC classifies all wood dust as carcinogenic to humans, chiefly through cancers of the nose and sinuses. This applies to ramin dust as it does to any other wood.6

    Effects
    nasal and sinus cancer
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    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) 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

Cross-reacts with obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon) in sIgE inhibition studies (Hinojosa-1986).

Sources

  1. Hinojosa M, Losada E, Moneo I, Dominguez J, Carrillo T, Sanchez-Cano M. Occupational asthma caused by African maple (Obeche) and Ramin: evidence of cross reactivity between these two woods. Clin Allergy. 1986;16(2):145-153. Link
  2. Howie AD, Boyd G, Moran F. Pulmonary hypersensitivity to Ramin (Gonystylus bancanus). Thorax. 1976;31(5):585-587. Link
  3. 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
  4. Beck MH, Roberts MM. A case of ramin wood sensitivity. Contact Dermatitis. 1982;8(1):74-75. Link
  5. Bruynzeel DP, de Haan P. Sensitivity to ramin wood. Contact Dermatitis. 1987;17(5):318-319. Link
  6. 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
  7. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link

Last reviewed .