When you are a busy carpenter, there are going to be plenty of other things on your mind ahead of your insurance cover. However, failing to have the right policy in place can easily leave you in a difficult situation if an accident occurs during the course of your work.

While insurance cover is valuable for any carpenter, it is important to find a policy that is specifically tailored to your needs. Just choosing a tradies insurance policy without considering the unique area of your work may leave you with insufficient cover in case of an accident. 

To help get the right level of cover for your needs, here are three vital things to keep in mind: 

Carpenters face unique injuries

Common injuries for tradies will often involve falls and heavy vehicles, but neither of these are significant risks for carpenters. Instead, people working with wood will find themselves facing a completely different set of challenges.

In fact, data from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland found that by far the most common injuries for carpenters are cuts to the hands and arms. These injuries account for more than a quarter (27 per cent) of total injuries sustained in the workplace. Back injuries are also very common, accounting for 16 per cent of the total injuries sustained by carpenters.

These variations in injuries only increase the importance of getting the right income protection insurance which is tailored to the specific challenges you face.

How specialised are your tools?

The term carpenter can really be a catch-all phrase, covering a range of lines of work. A finish carpenter for example, will have a very different workload, and tool set, compared to someone who mainly does framing work.

With each position requiring specialised tools, it is important to get the right insurance product to cover these needs. No matter how generic or specialised your set of tools, machinery and equipment insurance is going to be essential.

What risks does your work pose to others?

Carpenters will often find themselves working on busy sites with a range of different objects that can impact their operations. With heavy timber easily damaging other areas of a building site, it is important to protect against these risks.

A good starting point is to ensure you have the right handling procedures in place. Not only can this prevent a heavy beam from causing damage to a third party, it will also prevent and serious strains to your back.

At the same time, public liability insurance can ensure that any damage that is inflicted on the property of a third party is covered and doesn't hit you in the pocket.

With so many hazards that are unique to carpentry, it is important for individuals to have the right systems in place to prevent serious accidents and to arrange cover for essential equipment like tools.