Thicknessing machines are mainly used on timber that has already been straightened on a surface planer.
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.
Timber is fed into the machine under anti-kickback fingers to a power-driven feed roller that presses timber down on to the table and passes it under knives in the cutter block.
Figure 1: Thicknessing machine
![[image] Thicknessing machine with labels and red arrows pointing to guarding and supporting components](/assets/Topic/Machinery/Woodworking/manufacturing-thicknessers-figure-1.png)
Hazards
- Contact or impact from thrown timber
- Contact with cutters
- Entanglement from contact with roller
- Noise
- Dust
- Slips, trips and falls
- Contact with exposed blades and moving parts (during maintenance, cleaning & repairs)
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Ear protection
- Eye protection
- Dust protection
Tasks
Task – Feed timber into machine
Hazard
Contact or impact from thrown timber
Harm
- Bruising
- Fractures
Controls
- KEEP anti-kickback fingers sharp, clear of wood waste, and secured by a stop bar.
- POSITION the thicknesser to prevent timber hitting people.
Timber may be thrown from the cutters becoming a projectile, especially when a thinner piece of timber is presented to the cutters between two thicker pieces (difference in thickness may be too small to detect).
Hazard
Contact with cutters
Harm
- Deep cuts or amputation
Controls
- SECURE guards over the cutters and saw blade.
- DO NOT wear loose clothing or jewellery, to avoid entanglement.
- Tie back long hair.
Hazard
Entanglement from contact with roller
Harm
- Trapped hands
- Crush injuries
Controls
- SECURE guards over the cutters and saw blade.
- DO NOT wear loose clothing or jewellery, to avoid entanglement.
- Tie back long hair.
Other (non-mechanical) hazards
Hazard
Noise
Harm
- Hearing damage or loss
Controls
- REDUCE noise levels by isolating machines or enclosing within noise barriers.
- ASSESS noise levels.
- ARRANGE hearing screenings.
- ALWAYS WEAR hearing protection.
A safe noise level over an eight hour day is 85dB(A). A thicknesser may exceed this noise intensity.
Hazard
Dust
Harm
- Eye irritation or damage
- Breathing problems, lung damage or cancer
- Worsening of existing health problems
Controls
- USE dust extraction equipment to minimise dust getting in the operator’s breathing zone.
- ALWAYS USE respiratory protection.
- ALWAYS WEAR eye protection.
Hazard
Slips trips and falls
Harm
- Contact or impact injuries
- Cuts
- Bruising from falls
Controls
- KEEP up-to-date housekeeping procedures.
- KEEP a clear work space around the machine.
- PROVIDE a non-slip floor surface.
Task – Maintenance, cleaning & repairs
Hazard
Contact with exposed blades
Harm
- Deep cuts and amputation
Controls
- LOCK-OFF all power supplies before maintenance, cleaning and repairs.
- KEEP anti-kickback fingers sharp and clear of wood.
- KEEP written safety procedures, and arrange regular inspections by a competent person.
- REMOVE or LOCK-OUT thicknessers that fail inspection, and DO NOT USE until repaired or replaced.
Hazard
Contact, impact or entanglement from moving parts
Harm
- Trapped hands
- Crush injuries
- Bruising
- Fractures
- Cuts
Controls
- LOCK-OFF all power supplies before maintenance, cleaning and repairs.
- KEEP anti-kickback fingers sharp and clear of wood.
- KEEP written safety procedures, and arrange regular inspections by a competent person.
- REMOVE or LOCK-OUT thicknessers that fail inspection, and DO NOT USE until repaired or replaced.
Cutters may have overrun time after the power is turned off.
Figure 2: Thin timber being fed into thicknesser
![[image] Man feeding thin piece of timber into the machine; red arrow pointing to baseboard under the timber](/assets/Topic/Machinery/manufacturing-thicknessers-figure-2.png)
Note use of baseboard under thin timber.
Figure 3: Side view of feed rollers, cutters and anti-kickback device
![[image] Cross-section with arrows indicating direction of rotating components and operational parts](/assets/Topic/Machinery/manufacturing-thicknessers-figure-3.png)
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