User Manual Guidelines

Industrial Guidelines for Development of User Manuals for Woodworking Machines

WMMA(R) has coordinated efforts within the woodworking industry for development of common tools that would provide an improved level of user safety. It has been nearly a quarter of a century since WMMA(R) published Planning the Ideal Machine Maintenance Manual in cooperation with the Southern Furniture Manufacturers Association and National Association of Furniture Manufacturers. This was developed in response to machinery users' requests for improvements in maintenance manuals provided with new machines.

In 1997, a project was started to develop standard machine warning decals for hazards common in the industry. The goal was to provide decals that were compliant with national standards, uniform across the industry, and available to all interested parties. In some cases, the machine side safety admonitions used by manufacturers were inconsistent, incomplete, not in compliance with applicable standards, and less than effective in verbal and pictorial description. If users see common hazard admonitions on all woodworking machines, then the level of understanding and awareness could be improved and operator injuries could be reduced.

This theme was carried forward in 2000 and a project was undertaken by the Product and Engineering Standards Committee (now the Research & Engineering Committee) of WMMA(R) to develop a Standardized Manual Guideline for woodworking machines.

Non-members can contact WMMA(R) at 215-564-3484 x2205 to order a Guideline booklet for $500. WMMA(R) members can click here to download.

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