Furniture-making is machinery- and dust-intensive. Whether you make upholstered furniture, mattresses, wooden kitchen furniture or fitted furniture, the workplace health and safety duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 apply — with wood dust a particular concern. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland.

Upholstered furniture and mattresses must also meet strict fire-safety requirements, and all furniture must meet general product safety before it is sold.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA)

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 - primary UK workplace health and safety legislation establishing employer and employee duties. Pure data reference.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA 1974) is the primary legislation governing workplace health and safety in the United Kingdom. It establishes the legal framework for protecting the health, safety and welfare of people at work and those affected by work activities.

Legal status: Primary legislation - principal UK health and safety statute
Royal Assent: 31 July 1974
Came into force: 1 April 1975 (in stages)
Geographic scope: Great Britain (separate legislation applies in Northern Ireland)
Applies to: All employers, employees, self-employed persons, and those who control work premises
Primary duty (Section 2): Employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees
Duty to non-employees (Section 3): Employers must protect persons not in their employment (contractors, visitors, public) who may be affected by work activities
Employee duties (Sections 7-8): Employees must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others, cooperate with employers, and not misuse safety equipment
Enforcement authority: Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities
Maximum penalties (post-2008 amendments): Unlimited fines in Crown Court; imprisonment up to 2 years for individuals; up to 12 months and/or an unlimited fine in Magistrates' Court in England and Wales (12-month custody powers from 18 November 2024; fines unlimited since March 2015 under LASPO 2012, s.85)
Referenced by regulators: Cited in 31 regulatory documents in the ORDS (Office for Regulatory Delivery and Simplification) dataset
Secondary regulations: Enables creation of health and safety regulations (e.g. Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, COSHH, Manual Handling)

Reasonably practicable: The Act uses the term "so far as is reasonably practicable" throughout. This means employers must balance the level of risk against the time, trouble and cost of controlling it. However, the law is weighted in favour of health and safety - employers must demonstrate that control measures would be grossly disproportionate to the risk before they can be considered not reasonably practicable.

Self-employed persons: The Act also places duties on self-employed persons to protect their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their work activities.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (legislation.gov.uk)

HSE - Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 guidance

What you need to do

1

Run a safe factory and employ people

Whatever you make, start with the universal spine. Follow "Set up and run a safe furniture factory" for your health and safety, wood-dust and finishing COSHH controls, work equipment, manual handling, fire safety, insurance, equality and data protection duties.
2

Meet the furniture fire-safety and product-safety rules

Upholstered furniture and mattresses must meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 — ignition-resistance tests and labelling — and all furniture must meet general product safety. Follow "Meet the furniture fire-safety and product-safety rules".
3

Confirm you have covered everything

Finish with the furniture manufacturer compliance checklist to confirm your obligations are met before you sell.

Official sources

Authoritative starting points for furniture manufacturing.

HSE: woodworking (opens in a new tab) HSE
Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (opens in a new tab) legislation.gov.uk

Which furniture manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Environmental compliance for construction sites

Structural works compliance checklist

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Clinical governance and quality improvement

Excavation and foundation safety

What you need to do

Run a safe factory and employ people

Meet the furniture fire-safety and product-safety rules

Confirm you have covered everything

Official sources

Related guides in Health & Safety

Environmental compliance for construction sites

Structural works compliance checklist

Film and TV production tax reliefs and regulation

Clinical governance and quality improvement

Excavation and foundation safety

What you need to do

Run a safe factory and employ people

Meet the furniture fire-safety and product-safety rules

Confirm you have covered everything

Official sources