Dust Almanac

Sapele

Entandrophragma cylindricum · Meliaceae · hardwood

Also known as: sapelli, sapeli, aboudikro, Entandrophragma cylindricum

Region: Tropical West and Central Africa

Planed quarter-sawn board of sapele with reddish-brown heartwood and a bold ribbon stripe of alternating light and dark bands.

Sapele is a reddish-brown African hardwood related to mahogany, known for a striking ribbon stripe on quarter-sawn faces. It is used for furniture, cabinetry, doors, flooring, veneer, plywood and guitar backs and sides.

Health hazards

  • Skin irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    The UK safety regulator lists skin irritation among the reported effects of sapele.1

    Effects
    skin irritation
    Exposure route
    skin
    From
    dust

  • Asthma / respiratory allergy

    Evidence: Reported

    A Spanish case report describes a carpenter with work-related asthma from sapele dust, and a peer-reviewed review lists sapele among woods that cause occupational asthma. We have not yet confirmed what testing the case report used.23

    Effects
    asthma
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Skin allergy

    Evidence: Reported

    The same Spanish report describes an allergic skin reaction to sapele dust alongside the asthma.2

    Effects
    contact dermatitis
    Exposure route
    skin
    From
    dust

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    IARC classifies all wood dust as carcinogenic to humans, mainly linked to cancers of the nasal cavity and sinuses after long-term exposure.4

    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

Sapele is in the same family (Meliaceae) as genuine mahogany, African mahogany and utile (Entandrophragma utile); evidence for those woods is listed separately.

Sources

  1. 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 Withdrawn from hse.gov.uk (404 since c. Jan 2020); archived copy cited.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
  2. Alvarez-Cuesta C, Gala Ortiz G, Rodriguez Diaz E, Blanco Barrios S, Galache Osuna C, Raya Aguado C, Pineda F. Occupational asthma and IgE-mediated contact dermatitis from sapele wood. Contact Dermatitis. 2004;51(2):88-98. Link
  3. Schlünssen V, Sigsgaard T, Raulf-Heimsoth M, Kespohl S. Workplace exposure to wood dust and the prevalence of wood-specific sensitization. Allergol Select. 2018;2(1):101-110. Link
  4. 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
  5. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link

Last reviewed .