Dust Almanac

Wenge

Millettia laurentii · Fabaceae · hardwood

Also known as: wengé

Region: Central Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Gabon)

Planed board of wenge with very dark brown wood and fine parallel light and dark streaks.

Wenge is a very dark, coarse-textured African hardwood with fine light and dark banding, used for panelling, furniture, kitchens, flooring and veneer. It splinters easily, so edges and offcuts need careful handling.

Health hazards

  • Splinter infection

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    The UK HSE lists wenge as a wood whose splinters are reported to go septic.1

    Effects
    septic splinters
    Exposure route
    splinter

  • Skin irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    The UK HSE lists dermatitis among reported effects of wenge. It does not say whether this is irritation or allergy.1

    Effects
    dermatitis
    Exposure route
    skin
    From
    dust

  • Whole-body (systemic) effects

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    The UK HSE lists nervous system effects such as giddiness, drowsiness and visual disturbance, plus abdominal cramps, as reported effects of wenge.1

    Effects
    giddiness, drowsiness, visual disturbance, abdominal cramps
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    All wood dust is classified as carcinogenic to humans, mainly linked to cancers of the nose and sinuses after long-term exposure. This applies to this wood like any other.2

    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)Applies to wood dust generally; this species has no separate ACGIH value. 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

Panga panga (Millettia stuhlmannii) is a similar-looking wood sometimes sold alongside wenge; hazards above are listed for wenge only.

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 Withdrawn from hse.gov.uk (404 since c. Jan 2020); archived copy cited.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. 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
  3. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link

Last reviewed .