15 Woodworking Safety Tips

When you enter a woodworking workshop, you immediately notice the sensory experience that follows. The various scents of different woods are distinct, the sounds of woodworking machinery differ, and you can feel the touch of a finely sanded tabletop. It is truly fulfilling to transform a few boards of timber into a handcrafted masterpiece.

There is no doubt that the hobby and trade of working with wood remains popular in Australia and its popularity continues to grow. This week, our team has compiled a list of 10 essential safety tips for woodworking to ensure that the experience of working with wood is not only enjoyable but also as safe as possible.

Must-know woodworking safety tips

1. Using personal protective equipment (PPE)

One crucial safety rule in woodworking is to make sure you have all the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) from the moment you enter the workshop, ensuring a safe and enjoyable hobby.

From wearing approved safety glasses to protect your eyes, a dust mask to prevent inhalation of sawdust, a respirator to avoid breathing in toxic fumes, steel cap safety boots to shield your feet from falling wood, to using earplugs or earmuffs in order to minimize noise.

In the market, there are numerous excellent choices at various price ranges. Our prime advice is to guarantee that your PPE complies with appropriate safety standards to ensure optimal protection.

2. Wearing the right clothing

When considering safety rules for woodworking, wearing appropriate clothing may not be the first rule that comes to mind. However, it is recommended to avoid wearing loose-fitting garments as they can easily get caught in a spinning saw blade or cutter head. It is important to wear comfortable clothes that also provide protection against flying wood chips.

When working in the wood shop, it is important to keep in mind that loose-fitting clothing should be avoided. This is because you do not want your clothes to get caught in a saw blade or cutting head.

In order to ensure protection from wood chips while cutting, it is important to choose clothing suitable for the working environment that is also comfortable. Prior to starting, it is advised to take off any dangling jewelry including neck chains or bracelets.

3. Using a single extension cord

While a power board can offer added convenience by allowing multiple tools to be powered simultaneously, adopting the practice of using only one extension cord and connecting only one power tool at a time is a woodworking safety tip that enhances a woodworker’s mindfulness and minimizes the risk of a power tool unexpectedly activating.

4. Avoiding distractions

Losing concentration in the workshop can happen with just one distraction. When working with woodworking machines and power tools, it is important to prioritize concentration by taking your time and avoiding the urge to answer a phone call or update your Instagram until all tools have been switched off securely.

5. Continual learning

In any hobby, it is crucial to engage in continual learning. To ensure this, make sure to thoroughly read product manuals for any new tool added to your workshop. Additionally, occasionally revisit manuals for tools you are already familiar with to quickly refresh your knowledge. Moreover, explore the possibility of woodworking courses in your local area to acquire and develop new skills.

In the remarkable hobby of woodworking, there is always something new to be learned, whether you are a beginner or have been crafting masterpieces for many years.

6. Asking for help when you need it

Even experienced woodworkers can experience physical strain when working with wood. For example, hardwoods like Ironbark, which weighs 1120 kilograms per cubic meter, can make a beautiful tabletop that weighs as much as 100 kilos.

In order to make moving heavier projects easier and to lessen the risk of possible injury, always resist the temptation of moving them around the workshop on your own, and instead ask for an extra helping hand.

7. Maintaining a clean and tidy workshop

A frequently overlooked safety rule in woodworking is the importance of keeping a clean and organized workshop.

While it may not seem like a pressing issue at first, sawdust, offcuts, and even hardened glue can accumulate over time in woodworking, potentially posing a safety risk. By ensuring a clean and organized workshop, the chances of accidentally stumbling or getting sawdust particles in your eye during crucial moments are significantly minimized.

8. Keeping your blades and bits sharp

When a kitchen knife is not sharp, it becomes more hazardous compared to a sharp one, and a similar situation applies to woodworking blades and bits. If a blade lacks sharpness, both the woodworker and the blade itself have to exert more effort to finish the given task, thereby raising the likelihood of kickback or binding.

One of the safety precautions in woodworking that is often overlooked by beginner woodworkers is having your blades and bits professionally sharpened. This will also guarantee that you achieve the cleanest cut possible.

9. Using a push stick

When feeling impulsive, there may be a temptation to cautiously remove offcuts or sawdust from a spinning blade, but this practice not only significantly raises the likelihood of a severe accident but is also completely avoidable.

To ensure safety, consider purchasing or creating push sticks to act as a barrier between your fingers and the blade. If you need to remove jammed cut-offs from a blade, make sure to fully power off the tool before doing so.

10. Checking wood before starting

It is important to check all materials for potential safety hazards before beginning any work, but this is even more crucial when using reclaimed wood. The presence of embedded nails and screws can cause damage to the wood, cutter heads, and increase the risk of kick back when used with spinning blades.

11. Avoid drugs and alcohol

If you are even slightly under the influence of intoxicating substances, it is unsafe to be in the wood shop. The combination of woodworking and being under the influence can be dangerous, so it is best to stay out.

To prevent any potential issues, it is advisable for weekend woodworkers to refrain from consuming alcohol while working on their projects. It is important to remain clear-headed and avoid temptations until the woodworking is completed, ensuring a safer experience when handling power tools.

12. Disconnect power before blade changes

Before changing the blade or bit on a power tool, it is crucial to disconnect the electricity to the power tool. Failure to do so has resulted in woodworkers losing fingers or experiencing more severe injuries.

13. Always check for nails, screws, and other metal

Always check the stock you’re preparing to cut for any metal (nails,
 screws, staples, etc.) before beginning a cut. Nails and rapidly spinning saw blades are not a good mix. Not only can this damage the cutting head and the stock, but at the very minimum, can cause the stock to kick back, which is a common cause of injury. Inspect the stock (or better yet, use a metal detector) before cutting.

When using a table saw, miter saw, or similar equipment, it is crucial to avoid placing your hands close to the blade that is in motion, particularly when trying to remove unwanted pieces or cut-offs. It is advisable to wait until the blade has come to a complete stop before reaching for the cut-off. Alternatively, when the saw blade has stopped, you can use a scrap piece or a push stick to safely move the waste away from the blade.

Even if the blade has stopped, do not relax and put your hands too close because switches can be accidentally bumped or malfunction.