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Machinery Accreditation Policy

 The BRWG workshop contains several types of woodworking machines which, if not operated properly, could cause serious injury or death to the operator or bystanders.  The Guild has a duty of care to protect members or visitors to the workshop from harm.  The most effective means of meeting this responsibility is by ensuring all machine operators are competent in the use of machines and are fully aware of the associated hazards.  The method used by BRWG to achieve this is by insisting on a BRWG code of practice known as the Machinery Accreditation System. 

All BRWG members are to comply with the Machinery Accreditation System described below as a condition of membership.  All applicants for membership are required to give an undertaking in writing that they accept and will follow these rules.  A form of the undertaking is also at the top of each member’s sheet in the Accreditation Register and each member must sign it. 

Accreditation Basic Rules 

No person is to operate BRWG specified machinery without direct supervision unless he/she has been formally accredited on that machine.

A person is deemed to be formally accredited on a machine when he/she has passed a test administered by an authorized Accreditation Officer and that Officer has signed the appropriate section of the member’s Accreditation Sheet. 

Even when accredited, members are expected to seek the help of an experienced operator:

• as they gain experience on the type of equipment or the particular machine,
• when they wish to use a technique with which they are not familiar, and
• when they have not used a machine recently and might have lost some proficiency

Accreditation on a machine does not authorize a member to give guidance to others on that machine or to supervise inexperienced members.  Separate authorization of the original Accreditation Officer is required, and will normally only be given after the member has had significant experience on BRWG machines. 

 Specified Machinery  

BRWG Machinery requiring accreditation is grouped as shown below: 

·        Group 1 Machines.           These are powerful machines with potential for most serious injury.  To limit the opportunity for accident and ensure competency levels remain high, only a selected few members are to be authorized to use these machines and accreditation testing is to be strictly controlled by relevant Accreditation Officers.  These machines are: 

o     the Wadkins Bandsaw,

o     the Breaking-down Rip Saw, and

o     the Slabbing Bandsaw. 

·        Group 2 Machines.           These are machines with potential to cause serious injury that would not usually be found in a home handyman’s toolkit or workshop.  Accreditation Officers are to conduct individual testing on Group 2 machines.  These machines are: 

o     table saws,

o     band saws,

o     compound mitre saws,

o     jointers,

o     planer/thicknessers,

o     Wood Wizz,

o     lathes,

o     router tables,

o     bench drills and grinders, and

o     bench-mounted sanding equipment (drum sander, linishers, spindle sander and disc sander). 

·        Group 3 Machines.           These are machines and tools with potential to cause injury, but which are commonly used by home handymen and with which many people have become familiar.  Accreditation Officers may choose to conduct group testing on these machines, or to test individually, depending on the experience level of candidates.  They include: 

o     circular saws,

o     electric drills (incl cordless drills),

o     hand-held routers and trimmers,

o     biscuit joiners,

o     belt and orbital sanders, incl multi-disc orbital sander,

o     angle grinders, and

o     scroll saws. 

Accreditation Officers 

Accreditation Officers are appointed by the Committee of Management and act on behalf of the Guild.  They can be appointed in two ways: 

·        Trade Appointment.  The Committee appoints selected members to be Accreditation Officers in recognition of extensive trade experience.

·        BRWG Mentor System.           The Committee can appoint a member to be an Accreditation Officer after a period of guidance and assessment by a Mentor.  A Mentor is an Accreditation Officer with considerable experience with a particular type of equipment who has been appointed by the Committee to assist in the development and assessment of Accreditation Officers. 

The Committee appoints Accreditation Officers by awarding a Certificate.  

Accreditation Register 

The Accreditation Register contains details of the accreditation status of each member.  It contains a copy of this policy, together with an Accreditation Sheet for each member.  Each Accreditation Sheets contains the following details: 

• member’s name;
• undertaking to comply with the Accreditation System (to be signed on joining);
• a list of the Specified Machinery; and
• columns for the date of successful testing for each machine, and the signature of the Accreditation Officer who conducted the test.

It is a member’s own responsibility to ensure his/her accreditation sheet is correct and up to date. 

Direct Supervision

When a member has not yet undertaken an accreditation test on a particular machine, he/she may be permitted to operate that machine under the direct supervision and guidance of an Accreditation Officer or other member who has been authorized by an Accreditation Officer.  This is good preparation for the formal accreditation process.  The term ‘direct supervision’ means that the supervisor is present throughout the setting up, conduct and completion of the operation, including resetting the machine to nominal settings afterwards if required. 

Arranging Accreditation 

The first Saturday of each month is the preferred day for accreditation activities; Accreditation Officers will be present on these days.  A member can approach an Accreditation Officer at other times to arrange ad hoc accreditation, subject to mutual agreement. 

The Accreditation Process

When seeking accreditation on a machine, members should: 

• Prepare by reading the Operators Manual and the BRWG Equipment Training Package for the machine, and watching VCR/DVD material to gain a good understanding of the machine, with particular attention to hazards and safety measures;
• observe experienced members operating the machine, and ask questions;
• make an appointment with an Accreditation Officer for the machine and discuss previous experience;
• attend the accreditation session and observe, listen, ask questions and practice on the machine;
• undertake an accreditation test; and
• record details on the member’s Accreditation Register and arrange for the Accreditation Officer to sign the entry

Blackall Range Woodcrafters Guild Inc PO Box 150 Montville Q 4560