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Woodturning & Green Woodworking Risk Assessment — Generated Instantly for £29
Describe your woodturning or green woodworking activity — tool types, work location, timber species, whether you teach or work alone. We generate a fully written, UK-compliant risk assessment covering hand tool cuts, power tool entanglement, dust inhalation and all relevant regulations in minutes.
Used by professional woodturners, green woodworkers, craft tutors and woodland craftspeople across the UK
🪵 Working with green (unseasoned) wood or teaching courses? Mention it — we'll include controls for unpredictable splitting, increased tool sharpness requirements, workshop layout for groups, and supervision procedures to meet insurance and venue requirements.
Legal requirements for woodturning and green woodworking
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, anyone carrying out woodturning or green woodworking — whether self-employed, running workshops, or teaching courses — must assess and control the risks to themselves and others. This applies equally to sole traders working from home workshops and craft tutors running public courses in woodland settings or community venues.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) requires that all woodworking machinery and hand tools are suitable, maintained, and used safely. For powered lathes, this means proper guarding, emergency stop controls, and operator training. For hand tools (gouges, hook knives, drawknives, axes), PUWER requires that tools are kept sharp, stored safely, and used with appropriate technique to prevent injury. HSE guidance INDG291 (Woodworking machinery) provides specific advice on lathe safety, guarding and dust extraction.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) applies to wood dust. Hardwood dust is classified as a sensitiser and carcinogen — long-term exposure can cause occupational asthma and nasal cancer. Even softwood dust can cause respiratory irritation. Dust extraction, ventilation and respiratory PPE are legal requirements for any woodturning or green woodworking activity that produces fine dust. A risk assessment must document how you control dust exposure.
If you teach woodturning or green woodworking courses, your risk assessment must also cover supervision of learners, workshop layout to prevent overcrowding around machinery, emergency procedures, and first aid provision. Event organisers, woodland venue owners and public liability insurers will ask for this documentation before you can run a course.
How it works
1. Describe the activity
Tell us what you do — woodturning bowls on an electric lathe, pole lathe work, spoon carving with hook knives, axe work in a woodland setting. Mention whether you work alone, run courses, or work at craft fairs. If you use specific timber species (green oak, ash, cherry) or work outdoors, include it.
2. Let the app take the strain
Anyrisks produces a fully written, UK-compliant woodturning and green woodworking risk assessment referencing PUWER, COSHH and HSE woodworking machinery guidance where relevant.
3. Instant download and use
Download as PDF and Word. Give it to event organisers, venue owners, insurers, or keep it on file for HSE compliance. £29, no subscription.
What it covers
Every woodturning and green woodworking risk assessment is written in full — covering all hand tool, power tool and environmental hazards relevant to your work.
Hand tool cuts — gouges, hook knives, drawknives, spokeshaves, axes
Power lathe entanglement — hair, clothing, jewellery
Pole lathe and treadle lathe specific risks (foot injury, spring pole snapback)
Workpiece ejection from lathe — unbalanced or split timber
Wood dust inhalation — COSHH assessment and respiratory PPE
Hardwood dust exposure — carcinogen and sensitiser controls
Green (unseasoned) wood hazards — unpredictable splitting, increased tool sharpness needs
Manual handling of timber logs and heavy bowl blanks
Vibration from prolonged lathe use and hand tool percussion
Noise exposure from power lathes and workshop machinery
Workshop layout and lighting for safe tool use
Fire risk from dust accumulation and finishing oils
Outdoor working hazards — weather, uneven ground, lone working
Teaching and supervising learners — workshop safety briefings, first aid provision
Works for
From electric lathe bowl turning to pole lathe chair making and spoon carving, Anyrisks covers every type of woodturning and green woodworking activity.
What customers say
"I run green woodworking courses in a community woodland. The venue owner wanted a risk assessment before I could start. Anyrisks covered everything — hand tools, supervision, outdoor working — in one document. Professional and accepted immediately."
Tom W.
Green woodworking tutor, Devon
"I do bowl turning from my home workshop and sell at craft fairs. Event organisers always ask for a risk assessment now. Anyrisks gave me a proper document that covers lathe safety and dust control — exactly what they wanted."
Rachel P.
Woodturner, North Wales
"I work with a pole lathe in a woodland setting. Anyrisks covered the pole lathe risks (treadle injury, spring pole snapback) as well as outdoor working and lone working controls. My insurer was satisfied straight away."
James L.
Traditional green woodworker, Herefordshire
Anyrisks vs DIY templates
| Anyrisks | DIY / Templates | |
|---|---|---|
| Written in full — not a blank form | ✓ | ✗ |
| PUWER and COSHH regulations referenced | ✓ | ✗ |
| HSE woodworking machinery guidance aligned | ✓ | ✗ |
| Covers both hand tools and power lathes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Green (unseasoned) wood hazards included | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pole lathe and treadle lathe specific controls | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dust extraction and respiratory PPE requirements | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ready in under 2 minutes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Instant PDF and Word download | ✓ | Sometimes |
Frequently asked questions
Does it cover both power and hand tools?
Yes — describe the tools you use (pole lathes, electric lathes, hand gouges, hook knives, drawknives, axes) and the assessment will cover all relevant hazards from hand tool cuts to power tool entanglement and dust inhalation.
Does it comply with PUWER and HSE guidance on woodworking?
Yes — the assessment is written in alignment with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and references HSE guidance INDG291 (Woodworking machinery) where relevant. It covers guarding, emergency stops, and safe working procedures.
Does it cover working with green (unseasoned) wood specifically?
Yes — mention that you work with green wood and the assessment will include controls for variable moisture content, unpredictable splitting, increased tool dulling, and the need for sharper hand tools which increases cut risk.
Can I use it for teaching woodturning and green woodworking classes?
Yes — mention that you run courses or workshops and the assessment will include controls for supervising learners, tool safety briefings, workspace layout for groups, and first aid provision. This is essential for public liability insurance and venue requirements.
Does it cover dust and respiratory protection?
Yes — woodturning and green woodworking produce fine dust and larger shavings. The assessment covers dust extraction, ventilation, respiratory PPE (FFP3 masks for fine dust), and COSHH considerations for wood dust exposure.
Is it accepted by craft fairs, woodland venues and workshop landlords?
Anyrisks produces a fully written, regulation-referenced risk assessment in the standard format expected by event organisers, woodland owners, workshop landlords and public liability insurers. The format is professional and accepted across the craft sector.
How quickly can I get it?
Under 2 minutes. Describe your woodturning or green woodworking activity, tools used, and work location, and Anyrisks produces a complete, UK-compliant risk assessment instantly.
Does it cover pole lathe and treadle lathe safety?
Yes — pole lathes and treadle lathes have specific risks (foot injury from treadle, spring pole snapback, workpiece ejection). Mention the lathe type and these controls will be included in the assessment.
Also see: The ultimate guide to risk assessment · Do I need a risk assessment? · Risk assessment legal requirements · Risk assessment generator