In brief
Furniture manufacturing (31.00.01) is in the hazardous class; this means at least a class B specialist, a periodic examination at least every 3 years and at least 12 hours of basic training. In an inspection, machine guards, wood dust management, fire and electrical arrangements and the records for these are examined together. You can use the checklist below by walking through your workshop section by section.
Where does furniture workshop safety start?
When a labour inspector or your main customer's auditor walks into a furniture workshop, the first thing they look at is often not a folder but the machines: is the blade guard on the circular saw in place, are short pieces being pushed by hand on the planer, has dust built up on top of the machines and on the ceiling beams? Furniture workshop safety therefore starts on the shop floor and is completed with records. The checklist in this article groups the points examined during an inspection of a furniture factory in the hazardous class under five headings: machinery, dust, fire, electrics and documents.
Use the list in the workshop, not at a desk. Walk in the direction of the flow, from cutting through panel sizing, CNC, sanding, painting, upholstery and assembly to the dispatch area; mark each item as "in place, incomplete, missing" and write a person responsible and a date against each gap.
Furniture manufacturing hazard class and basic obligations
In the list of hazard classes renewed according to NACE Rev.2.1 on 13 March 2025, the manufacture of bedroom, kitchen and similar furniture with code 31.00.01 is in the hazardous class. The class is determined by the main activity carried out at the workplace; if you also have a separate main activity such as veneer, timber or panel production, the higher class applies. If you are not sure of your code, see our hazard class guide.
| Obligation | Minimum rule in the hazardous class | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| OHS specialist | At least a class B certificate; at least 20 minutes per worker per month | Law 6331 Art. 8/5, Regulation on OHS Specialists Art. 12 |
| Workplace physician | At least 10 minutes per worker per month | Regulation on Workplace Physicians and DSP Art. 12 |
| Periodic examination | At least every 3 years; the physician may shorten the interval | Regulation on Workplace Physicians and DSP Art. 9 |
| Basic OHS training | At least 12 class hours, within 3 months of starting work at the latest; a refresher of at least 8 hours every 2 years | Training Regulation (2026) Art. 8, 13, 14 |
| Risk assessment | Renewed at least every 4 years and on significant changes | Risk Assessment Regulation Art. 12 |
| Emergency plan | Renewed at least every 4 years; drill at least once a year | Regulation on Emergencies |
| First aider | 1 for every 15 workers | First Aid Regulation |
| Support staff | At least 1 person for each of the firefighting, rescue and protection teams for up to 40 workers | Regulation on Emergencies Art. 11 |
Example: a workshop with 40 workers needs at least 800 minutes (13 hours 20 minutes) a month for the specialist and 400 minutes (6 hours 40 minutes) for the physician. The number of first aiders is calculated as 40 / 15 and rounded up to 3; at least one support staff member is also assigned to each of the firefighting, rescue and protection teams. You can check your own figures with the OHS obligation calculator.
Woodworking OHS: machinery checklist
Most serious injuries in a furniture workshop happen on cutting machines. At each machine, the inspector looks at the following:
- Circular saw: Is the top blade guard fitted and adjusted? Is the riving knife matched to the blade? Is a push stick for narrow and short pieces kept next to the machine, and is it actually used?
- Planer and thicknesser: Does the cutter block guard cover the part not used for cutting? Is there a push block for short pieces? Is the anti-kickback device on the thicknesser working?
- Band saw: Is the part of the blade not used for cutting enclosed? Are blade tension and guides checked regularly?
- CNC router and panel sizing: Has the device that stops the machine when someone enters the working area been left enabled? Is it clear where the operator and the assistant stand in the loading area?
- Emergency stop: Is the emergency stop on each machine accessible, and is it tested and recorded weekly?
- Maintenance and blade changes: Is it guaranteed by a written instruction that blades are not changed without isolating and locking out the energy supply?
- Instructions: Are machine operating instructions in Turkish and kept next to the machine?
For the types of guards and which works on which machine, see our article on machine guards. Also address separately in the risk assessment the entanglement risk of gloves near rotating blades and shafts.
Wood dust: extraction, measurement and cleaning
Wood dust carries two separate risks in a furniture workshop: respiratory health and fire. The Annex 1 list of the Regulation on Health and Safety Measures in Work with Carcinogens or Mutagens lists "work involving exposure to hardwood dust", and the regulation also sets a separate occupational exposure limit value for hardwood dust (Official Gazette 06.08.2013). In an inspection, the following are examined:
- Is each machine's extraction point connected to the system, are the dampers open, are there tears or crushing in the hoses?
- Are the cyclone and filter unit emptied regularly, and is a record of emptying kept?
- Is there local extraction at source in the sanding area, or does the dust spread into the room?
- Are floors and machine tops cleaned with a vacuum rather than a broom or compressed air? Compressed air lifts dust into the air and carries it to other surfaces.
- Have dust and noise measurements been carried out, and have the results been entered into the risk assessment? We plan these measurements with authorised laboratories and link their results to the assessment.
On the health side, chest X-rays in line with the ILO standard are taken for workers exposed to dust; the physician determines the frequency. Lung function testing has no fixed frequency in the legislation; the physician decides according to the risk. If noise in the planer and thicknesser area exceeds the upper exposure action value of 85 dB(A), the use of hearing protection and hearing tests are mandatory; the limit value of 87 dB(A), taking account of the effect of the protector, may not be exceeded under any circumstances. For the legal framework of dust management, see our article on the Regulation on Dust Control.
Fire and electrical checklist
Taking fine wood dust, solvent-based paints and varnishes, foam and fabric together, the fire load of a furniture workshop is high. Mark the following items in this section:
- Dust build-up: Are machine tops, extraction ducts, ceiling beams and the inside of electrical panels cleaned to a schedule?
- Paint and varnish area: Is it separated from production and ventilated? Is there only as much solvent in the area as is needed for the day, and are containers closed?
- Stores: Are foam, fabric and packaging material kept away from heat sources and electrical panels?
- Extinguishers: Are they visible, accessible and unobstructed? Has the annual periodic inspection of the fire installation and portable extinguishers been carried out?
- Electrics: Is there an annual periodic inspection report for the internal electrical installation and earthing? Are panels closed and unobstructed? Are there exposed joints in portable cables?
- Compressed air: Has the annual periodic inspection of the compressor air receiver been carried out? If you use a forklift, its inspection is also annual.
- Emergency: Is the evacuation plan posted at entrances and on each floor? Is the form from the last drill on file?
The full list of periodic inspection intervals is in our article on periodic inspection intervals for work equipment, and the content of the plan is in our emergency plan guide. We provide theoretical and practical fire training so that the firefighting team can actually use an extinguisher.
Furniture workshop inspection file
For on-site measures to be defensible in an inspection, they need to be backed by records. Your file should contain at least the following:
| Document | What is examined in an inspection? |
|---|---|
| ISG-KATİP assignments | The specialist's class B certificate at least, monthly hours matching the headcount |
| Risk assessment | Hazards per machine, the method used, person responsible and deadline, validity date |
| Emergency plan and drill form | Team lists, evacuation plan, date of the last drill |
| Training records | Induction training record, 12-hour basic training and test results |
| Vocational training certificates | Certificates of saw, planer, CNC and sawmill operators |
| Health files | ANNEX-2 examination forms, chest X-ray and hearing test results |
| Periodic inspection reports | Electrics, earthing, fire installation, compressor receiver, forklift |
| Workplace measurement reports | Dust and noise results and the measures taken |
| PPE issue records | Delivery of masks, hearing protection, goggles and safety shoes |
The cost of a missing document grows with the headcount. For example, the 2026 basic fine for not providing training is 8,980 TL per worker, and for not carrying out health surveillance 22,194 TL per worker; no hazard class increase is applied to these per-worker fines. For other items see our OHS administrative fines tool, and for how an inspection proceeds, our article on preparing for a labour inspection.
Order of priority for a small joinery workshop
A joinery workshop with three or four people is subject to the same obligations; the headcount only changes the size of the hours and teams. In a workplace with fewer than 10 workers, a single support staff member is enough for the firefighting, rescue and protection teams. If resources are limited, set the order as follows:
- Complete the guards on saws and planers; place a push stick next to every machine.
- Get the extraction system working and switch cleaning to vacuum.
- Close the panels, have the earthing measured and remove exposed cable joints.
- Hang extinguishers in the right places and show everyone how to use them.
- Put training, examinations and vocational training certificates on a calendar.
In İnegöl, around İnegöl OSB and the İnegöl Furniture and Woodworking Specialised OIZ (organised industrial zone), and in Bursa's other districts, many small workshops achieve visible results in a short time by following this order. You can find sector-specific risk and training topics on our furniture sector page, and our service model in the region on our İnegöl OSGB page. Through our OHS specialist and risk assessment services, we walk through this list on site with your workshop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hazard class is a furniture workshop in?
The manufacture of bedroom, kitchen and similar furniture with code 31.00.01 is in the hazardous class. The class is determined by the main activity; if there is more than one main activity, the higher class applies. If you have other activities such as timber, veneer or upholstery, check their codes separately as well.
Is a vocational training certificate required in a joinery workshop?
Yes, work with saws, planers, sawmills and similar power-driven cutting machines is on the Annex 1 list of the vocational training regulation. A person who will do this work must hold a valid vocational training certificate before being hired.
What tests are carried out for wood dust?
Chest X-rays in line with the ILO standard are taken for workers exposed to dust, and the workplace physician determines the frequency. Tests such as lung function testing have no fixed frequency in the legislation; the physician decides according to exposure and measurement results.
Who carries out dust and noise measurements?
Workplace measurements are carried out by laboratories holding a competence or preliminary competence certificate from the Ministry, and the laboratory notifies ISG-KATİP (the Ministry's online OHS registration system) of the measurement at least 3 days in advance. We plan measurements with authorised laboratories and enter the results into the risk assessment.
A certified specialist matched to your hazard class: site inspections, approved logbook, training plan, annual plan and report follow-up.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.