What Came Out of the Woodwork? Protection Against Sudden Circumstances in Carpentry

August 25, 2020
Trades

A lucrative career awaits budding carpenters in Australia.

The Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business projects that employment for carpenters and joiners will grow by 11.7 per cent from 2019 to 2024. Full-time workers earn about $1,358 per week, and this increases as your experience grows.

Carpentry’s also a fulfilling job. You build homes for families, create shops for small businesses and build new communities — one wood frame at a time.

Along with the sense of accomplishment, however, are the risks that come with the job. A carpenter faces far greater hazards than an office worker. So apart from learning the tricks of the trade, aspiring carpenters also learn ways to protect themselves and their income.

By establishing safety nets with a carpenters insurance company, you’ll  rest easy knowing that you’ll continue to build and move the Australian economy forward.

What Type of Carpenter Do You Want to Be?

Carpentry involves different specialisations. Apprentices choose to master:

  • Framework Carpentry – Framework carpenters are the first to work on a project, as they are the ones who build the frames of the building.
  • Formwork Carpentry – Formwork carpenters create temporary constructions (also known as falsework), which will support the structures until they can support themselves.
  • Green Carpentry – Green carpenters use environmentally-friendly materials to achieve energy efficiency and meet sustainability requirements.

No matter what you choose, you’ll undergo an apprenticeship and certification programmes to be a certified carpenter and tap into your full potential.

Pathways to Becoming a Carpenter

To be a full-fledged chippy, you sign up as an apprentice to a seasoned carpenter once you complete Year 10. You’ll observe carpenters on site and gain hands-on experience. You’ll also have a full grasp of what it’s like to work as a carpenter. Apprenticeship lasts for four years.

You’ll also take a carpentry course, like the CPC30211 Certificate III in Carpentry, which equips you with the knowledge, skills and aptitude in residential and commercial building. This requires three years or longer, if you enrol as a part-time student.

Most people take their apprenticeship and certification programme simultaneously.

Hazards of Carpentry

During your apprenticeship, you’ll understand the daily hazards that a carpenter faces. These include:

  • Working with power tools
  • Falls from heights
  • Electrocution
  • Exposure to hazardous substances (chemicals, construction dust, etc.)
  • Noise pollution
  • Manual handling (bending, reaching, repetitive motions, etc.)

The potential dangers do not stop a determined apprentice, though — after all, you’ll be trained in safety protocols and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). But as any experienced carpenter would tell you, it pays to be prepared for the worst.

Protection for Carpenters

It takes one accident to damage your hands — your most important asset — enough to lose its function. When this happens, you lose the ability to perform your trade and earn. And with several hazards looming over a construction site, you never know when such accidents would strike.

Similarly, you cannot predict when your actions could result in property damage or personal injury to another person.

An insurance policy that’s specific to your trade will give you the peace of mind that you are covered should difficult circumstances arise.

Some of the most necessary policies are:

  • Tradies Injury and Illness Insurance – Protects you financially in case you sustained an injury on the job or acquire a serious illness. You can focus on getting better.
  • Income Protection – Protects everything you have worked hard for and ensures you can pay your bills in the event of an illness or injury.
  • Public Liability – Protects you and your business from the liability for costs in case of injury to a third party or damage to a third party’s property.

With these safeguards in place, you can confidently work on every construction project. Your trade is essential but dangerous, which is why it deserves tailored insurance solutions.

IMAR strongly advocates tradie insurance for carpenters.

We have protected chippies from unforeseen events and helped them meet the insurance requirements for every project. We are the trusted partners of Carpentry Australia, a nationwide organisation that supports and protects the carpentry trade.

Create safeguards for your trade today. Learn more about our carpenters insurance.

To the extent that any material on this page may be considered advice, it does not take into account your objectives, needs or financial situation. You should consider whether the advice is appropriate for you and review any relevant Product Disclosure Statement and policy wording before taking out an insurance policy.

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