Cabinet-makers: Exposure to formaldehyde vapours

Cabinet-makers are exposed to formaldehyde vapours through their work with pressed woods which are bound with a formaldehyde compound glue, and also through the use of wood-finishing agents which contain formaldehyde. Fourteen cabinet-making establishments were monitored for their workers' exposure to formaldehyde vapours while also monitoring locations within their work environment. This study concentrated on levels of formaldehyde vapours at different locations which ranged from 0.010 ppm to 0.574 ppm over the four-hour monitoring period. These levels were below the occupational standard of 1 ppm. Personal monitoring generally gave results lower than the mean levels in the workplace. The major source of formaldehyde vapours was from pressed wood.