WORKSAFE WA says it will be inspecting the furniture manufacturing industry in September in a drive to reduce injuries and disease in the sector.
Inspectors will visit a sample group of furniture-making businesses to identify common safety risks and provide information to employers on how to comply with occupational safety and health requirements.
According to the safety authority, the industry stakeholders have been included in the discussions regarding the campaign so it will know what is going to happen.
Safety statistics from the authority show the manufacturing industry has the highest number of lost-time injuries of all WA industries. Every year, around 67 people in the cabinet making sector are injured to such an extent to have to take time off work.
Although the campaign will aim to raise awareness of potential risks, breaches of workplace safety laws will be faced with enforcement action.
Areas to be inspected during the campaign include electrical equipment and systems, labelling and registers of hazardous substances, training and controls in manual handling, machine guarding and the instruction, training and supervision of workers.
Particular attention will be paid to the correct use of powered saws and the storage of timber and large wooden sheets. This follows the March 2008 incident in which a 22-year-old apprentice cabinet maker was crushed under a stack of large timbers.

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