How to notify us over the holiday period.
Notifications  
If someone has been seriously injured, become seriously ill, or died as a result of work – phone us on 0800 030 040 straight away. We have staff available to respond to these 24/7.
If you’re not sure what a notifiable event is, including your obligation to hold a scene, visit What events need to be notified?
Notifications made through our online form won't be monitored between 12pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and 8.30am on Monday 6 January 2025.
If you’re not sure if you need to notify us, use our online notification system and we’ll respond to you after 6 January 2025.
Health and safety concerns
If you have a health and safety concern that isn’t urgent, use our online form and we’ll respond to you after 6 January 2025.
Raise a health or safety concern
General enquiries
General enquiries made by phone or email after 12pm on Tuesday 24 December will be responded to from Monday 6 January 2025. This does not apply to notifications made by phone on 0800 030 040.
We wish you a safe and relaxing holiday.
Many serious accidents involving working with woodworking machinery could have been prevented through correct use.
While this guidance has not been updated to reflect current work health and safety legislation (the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and regulations), it may still contain relevant information and practices to keep workers and others healthy and safe.
Please read this guidance in conjunction with all relevant industry standards that apply to you as a PCBU. This guidance will be progressively reviewed and either updated, replaced with other guidance, or revoked.
We have produced guidance for working safely with wood using the following machinery.
Circular saw benches
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when feeding material into blades, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and adjustments. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Noise abatement for circular saws
Circular saws are widely used throughout manufacturing. However, noise from circular saws can be extreme, both while cutting and while the saw is idling. We have produced this guide for businesses, operators and workers to manage the level of noise from circular saws.
Four siders
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when cutting and shaping timber, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and adjustments. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Horizontal beam and vertical panel saws
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when stacking panels, pushing panels to cut positions and making cuts, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Horizontal beam and vertical panel saws
Mitre saws
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when presenting timber to the saw, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as electrical fires or explosions, noise and dust.
Mortisers
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when making cuts, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Overhand planing machines (buzzers, surface planers)
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when securing the workpiece and feeding timber to the cutters, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Pendulum saws (swing saws,cut-off trim saws)
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when positioning the workpiece and making cuts, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Radial arm saws
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when feeding and guiding timber through cuts, ripping with a radial arm saw, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Rise and fall saws
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when securing and cutting timber, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Tenoners
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when pushing timber through cutters, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Thicknessers (surfacers and thicknessers, under and over planers)
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when feeding timber into machines, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Vertical spindle moulder machine guarding
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when feeding workpieces to cutters as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
Woodworking CNC machines
This fact sheet provides guidance on risks and good practice when selecting tools, as well as undertaking maintenance, cleaning and repairs. It also provides guidance on other non-mechanical hazards, such as noise and dust.
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