Certain precautions should be followed in handling treated wood as a product or as a waste. Handle according to all applicable OSHA, state, and local requirements. Here are a few simple guidelines (reproduced with permission of Western Wood Preservers Association) to keep in mind when working with preservative treated wood:

· Avoid contact with skin. Wear gloves and long sleeved shirts. Wash exposed skin areas thoroughly with mild soap and water after working with treated wood.

· Wear a dust mask when machining any wood to reduce the inhalation of wood dust. Avoid frequent or prolonged inhalation of sawdust. Machining operations should be performed outdoors whenever possible to avoid indoor accumulations of airborne sawdust.

· Wear appropriate eye protection to reduce the potential for eye injury from wood particles and flying debris during machining.

· If preservative or sawdust accumulates on clothes, launder before reuse. Wash work clothes separately from other household clothing.

For more information on personal and environmental safety issues associated with preservative treated wood, visit Western Wood Preservers Institute.