Sector guide · Furniture & joinery
Woodworking's two defining hazards pull the kit list in opposite directions: dust demands more protection (hardwood dust is a carcinogen — FFP3 territory), while the machines demand less clothing, not more — no gloves at the spindle, no loose anything near a blade. Getting both right is the whole game.
The sector
Dust first: hardwood dust is a recognised carcinogen (sinonasal cancers) and softwood dust an asthmagen — extraction at the machine does the primary control, and FFP3 covers sanding, hand-machining and anything extraction can't capture, fit-tested like it matters, because it does. Eye protection to impact grades lives at every machine; hearing zones cover planers, spindle moulders and saws.
Machines flip the glove instinct: at running blades and spindles the rule is usually no gloves — entanglement and glove-snatch beat laceration as the risk, so machine work runs bare-handed or thin-fitted per the shop's rules, with cut-rated gloves reserved for handling boards, changing tooling and site fixing. Clothing is fitted throughout: snug cuffs, no drawcords, aprons or fitted kit rather than flapping coveralls. Finish rooms add the chemistry: nitrile or rated gloves for stains and lacquers, and spray work runs under COSHH with RPE per the product system — isocyanate lacquers push toward air-fed, exactly as in bodyshops. Site-fitting joiners carry the carpenter's list in the van alongside.
Kit by area
| Area | The kit that matters | The spec detail |
|---|---|---|
| Machine shop | Fitted kit, eye + hearing protection, NO loose anything | Glove policy per machine — often none at the blade |
| Sanding & hand work | FFP3, eye protection | Hardwood dust = carcinogen — the non-negotiable |
| Finish room | Nitrile/rated gloves, RPE per product | Isocyanate systems escalate the RPE — data sheet decides |
| Bench & assembly | Aprons, knee pads, dexterity gloves | EN 14404 for fitting-up at floor level |
| Site fitting | The carpenter's van list | Covered in the role guide |
Management notes
Questions
FFP3 for hardwood dust (a recognised carcinogen) and for prolonged sanding of any species — fit-tested, and worn alongside extraction rather than instead of it. Softwood dust is an asthmagen and warrants the same seriousness at sustained exposure.
Rotating blades and spindles can snatch a glove and pull the hand in — entanglement outranks laceration at running machines, so most shops prohibit gloves at the blade and reserve cut-rated gloves for board handling and tooling changes. Each machine's rule should be written and posted.
Per the product system's data sheet under COSHH — nitrile or rated gloves, eye protection, and RPE that escalates with the chemistry: isocyanate-based lacquers push toward air-fed respiratory protection in a proper booth, the same regime as automotive refinishing.
Send the roles and headcount — we'll come back with a kit list per role, embroidered and priced.