Section 2: Health & Safety
Every business, regardless of size, has a responsibility to keep themselves and their employees safe when at work. Complying with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) legislation is a mandatory requirement for any business operating in the woodworking sector. This assessment will help you to identify the areas where you must be able to demonstrate you are compliant with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA). Members shall be aware of all health and safety matters which affect their activities and promote understanding of these amongst their employees.
In the UK, joinery businesses are legally obligated to conduct a fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This assessment must identify potential fire hazards, evaluate the risks to employees and others, and determine necessary preventive and protective measures. The business must document the findings and ensure that the fire risk assessment is regularly reviewed and updated, especially if there are significant changes to the premises or operations. Additionally, the business must develop a fire management plan, which outlines procedures for fire prevention, employee training, emergency evacuation plans, and the maintenance of fire safety equipment. Compliance with these obligations is crucial not only for the safety of employees and visitors but also to avoid legal penalties and liability in the event of a fire incident.
Proof includes fire management plan document, or fire risk assessment
In the UK, local exhaust ventilation (LEV) is crucial for woodworking companies to control airborne contaminants like wood dust, which can cause serious health issues such as asthma and cancer. Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations, woodworking businesses are legally required to assess and manage the risks associated with hazardous dust. LEV systems capture and remove dust at its source, significantly reducing workers' exposure. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces this requirement, and failure to install effective LEV systems can lead to legal action, fines, and serious health risks for employees. Regular maintenance and monitoring are also essential to ensure the system's effectiveness. LEV systems requiring competent testing at least every 14 months.
Proof includes a LEV test report showing a successful test within the last 14 months.
A joinery firm in the UK must have health surveillance in place to protect its workers from health risks associated with exposure to wood dust, noise, and hazardous substances like chemicals in glues and finishes. These risks can lead to serious health conditions, such as respiratory issues, skin problems, or hearing loss. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) requires employers to conduct health surveillance under regulations such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and the Control of Noise at Work Regulations. Legally, firms must identify hazards, assess risks, and implement appropriate measures to monitor and protect workers' health, ensuring that any early signs of illness or disease are detected and managed effectively. Failure to comply can result in legal action, fines, and damage to the firm’s reputation.
If you’re the landlord, tenant or managing agent of a commercial property you may be responsible for managing asbestos, unless your contract or lease says otherwise. The person responsible must identify where asbestos is present (you’ll probably need an external accredited surveyor to carry out an asbestos survey), have the materials analysed and keep a record of the findings, carry out a health & safety risk assessment, share that information with anyone who could come into contact with it & keep anything containing asbestos in good repair or have it sealed or removed by a certified contractor.
In the UK, a COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) risk assessment is legally required for woodworking businesses that handle hazardous substances such as wood dust, adhesives, and varnishes. Wood dust, particularly from hardwoods, is a known respiratory hazard and can cause serious health conditions like asthma and cancer. The COSHH regulations, enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), mandate that employers assess and control the risks from exposure to hazardous substances. This includes identifying potential hazards, implementing measures to reduce exposure (e.g., proper ventilation, PPE), and regularly reviewing the risk assessment to ensure worker safety. Failure to comply can result in legal penalties and put employee health at risk.
A joinery business must have risk assessments in place for all tasks to fulfil both legal and moral obligations. Legally, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers to ensure the safety of their employees by identifying and mitigating workplace hazards, while specific regulations like COSHH apply to controlling risks from substances like wood dust. Morally, providing a safe working environment shows a duty of care, ensuring employees are protected from preventable injuries or illnesses. Risk assessments help identify potential dangers, implement safety measures, and ensure compliance with the law, reducing the risk of accidents, legal penalties, and promoting a positive safety culture in the workplace.
Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is designed to help protect against the inhalation of unhealthy substances at work, such as dusts, fumes and gases. The type of RPE chosen is vital as different types of equipment protect the wearer against different substances. If the substance is wood dust, either a filtering half mask or disposable mask may be appropriate.
Tight fitting face pieces need to fit the wearers face to be effective and must not leak. As people are different shapes and sizes it is unlikely that one type of RPE will fit everyone. Therefore ‘Fit Testing’ must be carried out by a trained, qualified, competent person to ensure the wearer is adequately protected. If a worker has facial hair or stubble, then tight-fitting face pieces will leak and allow dirty air to pass through the gaps and into the lungs. Therefore, alternative RPE should be used, such as an air fed mask. A company may be able to have a ‘clean shaven’ policy however some employees could have a beard for religious regions and must not be discriminated against.
As an employer you must identify activities that require the wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and then select the right protective equipment for that activity, for the operator and others exposed to the hazard. You must provide the necessary PPE, appropriate training in its use, and correct maintenance and storage facilities, free of charge. The keeping of records for the training and issue of PPE & RPE can be used to record and provide evidence that the business has completed its obligations.
Please remove any personal details from any documents supplied.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to carry out an assessment of the noise levels in the working area and identify any employees who are likely to be exposed to noise levels high enough to cause hearing damage. The competent person who carries out your assessments will need to understand how noise affects people and how to decide upon the most appropriate control measures. This will be someone who has experience in carrying out assessments and will also require some training. A record should be kept of your assessments, and they should be repeated whenever there is a significant change in the work to which the assessment relates.
Although Portable Appliance testing (PAT) is not required by law, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 requires an employer to ensure that their portable electrical equipment is maintained in a safe condition if it has potential to cause injury. The person doing testing work needs to competent to do it. In many low-risk environments, a sensible (competent) member of staff can undertake visual inspections if they have enough knowledge and training. However, when undertaking combined inspection and testing, a greater level of knowledge and experience is needed.
The main goal of any risk assessment process is to identify the measures that need to be taken to establish a safe system of work and an efficient system of safety management. Any existing hazards and the level of risk should be identified; all efforts should then be made to reduce the risk to as low as possible. If the present method of carrying out the activity is eventually established as the only practicable safe method, then management must fully inform employees of the reasons why the method of work must be adhered to.
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The movement of materials within a factory environment involves the use of a wide range of vehicles, many of them creating their own hazards. Delivery vehicles, forklift trucks, factory employees and visitors all require good management while on site and there should be clear and strict rules on the movement of vehicles around the site. If sharing a workplace with other employers, there is also a need to co-ordinate any safety arrangements that may be needed.
The requirements for training and standards are outlined in the L117 Approved Code of Practice from the Health & Safety Executive. This should be provided by a member of a voluntary accredited body or someone who is recognised by an awarding organisation. Although this is not mandatory it is recommended as it shows they have agreed to a set of professional training standards. It should provide the basic skills and knowledge required to operate a lifting truck correctly and safely.
Lift trucks are considered a piece of lifting equipment under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Regulations 1998 (LOLER). The truck itself should be thoroughly examined at least every 12 months and inspected at regular intervals. The chains are accessories for lifting and must be thoroughly examined every 6 months. Whoever carries out the thorough examination must be competent to do so. Where the forklift or attachment are used in conjunction with lifting persons the statutory inspection period is every 6 months
Holding a CSCS card is not a legislative requirement and it is entirely up to the principal contractor or client whether workers are required to hold a valid card before they are allowed on site. However, most principal contractors and major house builders require workers on their sites to hold a valid CSCS card.
The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations (CDM 2015) are the main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects. CDM applies to all building and construction work and includes new build, demolition, refurbishment, extensions, conversions, repair and maintenance.
In this circumstance you will have responsibilities as a designer under CDM 2015
The Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations requires employers to either display the HSE-approved law poster or to provide each of their workers with the equivalent leaflet.
Under PPER2022 (Personal protective equipment at work regulations) places a duty on every employer in Great Britain to ensure that suitable PPE is provided to ‘employees’ who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work. An employer must carry out a PPE suitability assessment and provide the PPE free of charge for employees, Limb A (those with a contract of employment) and Limb B (some with a more casual employment relationship who work under a contract for service). PPE should be regarded as the last resort to protect against risks to health and safety, engineering controls and safe system of work should be considered first.
The British Woodworking Federation Machine safety cards are available to members and can be downloaded for free from within the members' area of the website. These cards provide important information on various different woodworking machinery and offer best practice advice to avoid any injuries from misuse or negligence. The cards have been produced by one of the largest Woodworking Safety training companies in the UK and should not be amended in any way which could lead to the incorrect information being taken by the user.
Under the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, employers are required to use clear signage to highlight risks where there’s a significant hazard that cannot be controlled through other means. This could be warnings for forklifts operating, fire risks, First Aid & Emergency information, PPE or dust hazards. While not all hazards need signs if other controls are sufficient, using signage can help ensure everyone in the shop is aware of potential dangers and understands safety expectations.
Storage needs to be considered very carefully and those persons responsible for stacking materials need to be appropriately trained to ensure that the storage arrangements are safe and in accordance with supplier and HSE guidance. Racking needs to be suitable for the materials in question and all those in the workplace must be aware of the safe procedure for retrieving materials. Steps should be taken to provide suitable storage racking and appropriate handling aids as part of a safe system of work. All racking systems should be properly designed, installed and maintained. The maximum safe working load (SWL) and design configuration should be clearly displayed.
