Readers of News Update, and members who regularly log-in to the BWF website, will be aware that the cost of workplace injuries involving woodworking equipment can be devastating in both financial and personal terms, as the below recent example illustrates:
Article: Joinery Firm Fined £15,000 After Circular Saw Accident
For the majority of woodworking machinery, there is a clear risk of injury if the equipment is not kept in good working order. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 require equipment where necessary to be inspected. It is therefore recommended that all woodworking equipment be inspected at regular intervals. The inspection interval is flexible and may vary from machine to machine, but, in order to avoid confusion and ensure that all machinery is kept in good working order, it may suit your workplace for inspections to be carried out on a weekly basis for all machines. LEV (including spray booths) must also be thoroughly examined and tested at least once every 14 months. You may find it appropriate to tie your equipment inspections in with your maintenance regime. A competent person should determine, for each piece of machinery, when it should be inspected and what should be inspected. It is also necessary to have a competent person carrying out the inspection. An inspection will vary depending on the risk but will usually include the following: