This approved code of practice and guidance is aimed at employers dutyholders and anyone who has responsibility for the safe use of woodworking machinery such as managers and supervisors.
Woodworking machinery regulations. These woodworking safety rules are designed to be easy to remember and are mostly common sense. Fixed adjustable and self adjusting. The basics for your business. Provided in compliance with regulations 11 and 15 2 and 3 except when owing to the nature of the work being done the use of the guards or appliances is rendered impracticable.
The first and most important rule of woodworking is to wear appropriate safety equipment. It applies to most woodworking machinery except hand held tools and includes tasks involving wood corkboard fibreboard and composite materials. This includes the point of operation the power transmission apparatus and rotary or reciprocating parts. Health and safety made simple.
The work shop is not the place to careless. For guidance on machinery with the exception of woodworking the approved code of practice safety in the use of machinery acop 10 is available to download on the page working safely with machinery. While hearing protection is necessary for some very noisy tools such as routers and surface planers and latex gloves may be necessary when applying finishes there is no time in the wood shop that you should be without your safety glasses. Table 2 describes three types of machine guards commonly used on woodworking machinery.
Woodworking is among one of the safest and enjoyable hobbies you can do provided you adhere to a set of rudimentary and easy to follow safety rules. With the exception of hand held portable machines acop 9 applies to woodworking machinery used in all working environments. Last updated date 30 6 1997 factories and industrial undertakings woodworking machinery regulations part iii 3 2 regulation 19 cap. Latest available revised the latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team changes we have not yet applied to the text can be found in the changes to legislation area.
Legislation is available in different versions. This site is for employers and those who want some basic information on what they must do to make sure their businesses comply with health and safety law. That being said failure to comply with the safety rules can cause serious injury. All moving machine parts that may cause injury must be safeguarded.
A worker at a pallet manufacturer lost three fingers on his left hand when assisting the operator of a semi automatic cross cut saw.


