hemlock

[Duncan]

Does anyone experience chest congestion or other health issues while cutting hemlock?

[woodmills1]

don't know if our eastern version is the same animal but no problems here with me cutting it so far.

[thecfarm]

I'm on the other side of the US,but I've never had any problems with it.

[Ironwood]

As I recall there is some health issue related to it. I sided my house with it, so breathed some dust doing that. I believe people are just a little more sensitized/ reactionary to the dust. I don't believe it to be like walnut were it does some lung damage, or toxic like some. Just nuicence dust with elevated reactivity. I THINK!!

               reid

[kelLOGg]

google        http://www3.gov.ab.ca/HRE/whs/publications/pdf/ch045.pdf

and you will see the health effects.

[Sawyerfortyish]

I cut loads of hemlock and have no problems. I love the smell of fresh cut hemlock. I also have asthma and have no effects. I have a blower that takes away most of the sawdust from the blade. I don't know what your setup is if you are inside with no blower it might be differant.

[mike_van]

The Eastern Hemlock hasn't bothered me -

[KnotBB]

I knew a guy who had a violent skin reaction to western Hemlock.  The particular case was from handling green veneer in a plywood plant.  Nasty looking hands.

steve

[MotorSeven]

Have'nt cut any Hamlock, but we had a bunch of cypress trees down after Wilma. Before the county cut them up and hauled them off i managed to grab 8-10 cants for carving. I didn't have any problem bucking them, but every time i start carving(chainsaw & rotary tool) i start sneezing and weezing. Some of this stuff we should really be wearing respirators when cutting. Definatly learned my lesson as the effects lasted for a couple of days. What bothers me more is the huge waste of Cypress that was "mulched" after these storms..... :(

RD

[tomboysawyer]

Does anyone experience chest congestion or other health issues while cutting hemlock?

I'm alergic to hemlock. Especially when limbing or pruning, so I never tried milling it. My throat closes and I can't breathe. Its pretty scary. I have no hemlock in my current woodlot which seems to amaze some people. But it was a big relief to me.

[Duncan]

Thanks for the information,

I don't seem to have any issues with any species other than hemlock, but it is good to review the information for all of the other species.

Cheers,
Kelly

[dancan]

A friend of mine breaks out in a severe rash when he handles white birch .
The only wood that i have found that makes me sneeze repetidly and makes my eyes water is sawdust from mdf (you know from that mdf tree  :D :D)

[thurlow]

Not sure what kind of mill he had, but I understand that a fellow named Socrates had a severe reaction to hemlock  :D :D

[Trax]

Not sure what kind of mill he had, but I understand that a fellow named Socrates had a severe reaction to hemlock  :D :D

Thats a whole different animal

Poison Hemlock