Product Overview

This Cabinet Making and Furniture Assembly Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) sets out the step-by-step procedures and risk controls needed to safely undertake cabinet making, joinery and furniture assembly tasks on Australian worksites, supporting robust WHS compliance. It is a comprehensive document covering multiple aspects of cabinet making and furniture assembly activities, from fine detail carving and finishing through to large flat-pack installation and internal fit-outs.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Safe assembly of flat pack furniture, including unpacking, layout, fixing methods and stability checks
• Assembly of large and heavy furniture items, with controls for manual handling, team lifts and use of mechanical aids
• Application of wax and other finishing products to furniture pieces, including ventilation, PPE and fire safety considerations
• Carving intricate designs and details into timber using hand tools and power tools, with controls for cuts, kickback and flying particles
• Crafting ball-and-claw feet and other fine furniture components, including secure work holding and precision tool use
• Crafting custom-made musical instruments with attention to fine cutting, sanding, gluing and finishing hazards
• Creating curved furniture components, including bending processes, jigs, clamps and pinch-point controls
• Engraving wooden pieces using hand tools or powered engravers, with eye protection, dust control and noise management
• Distressing wooden surfaces and components (including environmental exposure techniques), with controls for dust, chemicals and noise
• Disassembling furniture and dismantling/reassembling existing units, including control of stored energy, sharp edges and unstable loads
• Flat pack delivery and on-site assembly, including vehicle unloading, access/egress, housekeeping and interaction with other trades or the public
• Internal building fit-out works involving cabinet installation, fixing to walls, ceilings or floors and verification of structural adequacy
• Selection, use and maintenance of woodworking tools and equipment such as drills, sanders, routers and saws
• Control of wood dust, fumes and noise through extraction, housekeeping and appropriate personal protective equipment
• General workshop and on-site safety, including slips, trips and falls, electrical safety and emergency response

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for cabinet makers, joiners, shopfitters, furniture makers, flat-pack installers, internal fit-out contractors and site supervisors who manage or perform cabinet making and furniture assembly works.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks – Principles for identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing controls for cabinet making and assembly tasks
• Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces – Guidance where work involves step ladders, platforms or elevated areas during furniture installation and fit-outs
• Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work – Requirements for controlling noise from power tools, machinery and woodworking equipment
• Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace – Controls for waxes, finishes, adhesives, solvents and other chemical products used in furniture manufacture and assembly
• Code of Practice: Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace – Safe use of portable electrical tools, leads and equipment in workshops and on sites
• Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination – Ensuring consultation with workers and coordination with other trades during fit-out and installation works
• AS/NZS 4836: Safe working on or near low-voltage electrical installations and equipment – Referenced where cabinet and furniture installation occurs near electrical services
• AS/NZS 1715 & AS/NZS 1716: Respiratory protective devices – Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protection for wood dust and fumes
• AS/NZS 2161: Occupational protective gloves – Guidance on hand protection when handling timber, tools and finished components
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017