Safety, ergonomics and quality in the workshop
How you can make your contribution in a crisis — armed or unarmed
An upholstering workshop looks cosy with its fabric and furniture but holds more hazards than you would think: sharp knives and scissors powerful industrial sewing machines staple guns that fire staples adhesives with fumes and heavy furniture that must be turned and lifted. Good safety and ergonomics are part of the trade.
§Sharp and projectile equipment
Upholstery knives and scissors are sharp, and staple guns can shoot a staple through a finger. Always cut away from your body, keep your hand behind the blade, and never point a staple gun at yourself or others. Keep fingers away from where the staple is shot. Safe tool habits are the backbone of an injury-free workshop.
§Machines glue and fumes
- 01Keep fingers away from the needle on the industrial sewing machine
- 02Use appropriate extraction or ventilation with glues that emit vapours
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- 04Keep tools and machinery maintained and in order
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Furniture and car seats can be heavy and unwieldy. Lift with bent legs and straight back, use aids or a colleague for heavy lifting, and adjust your work table so you don't work bent forward for hours. Many of the trade's injuries don't come from accidents but from repeated poor lifting and postures over time.
§What is quality in upholstery?
Quality in upholstery work can be both seen and felt. The upholstery is even, firm and symmetrical; the cover sits taut without wrinkles; stitches and edges are neat; patterns match at seams. And above all: the work lasts. High-quality upholstery retains its shape and comfort for many years because the hidden layers are built properly.
- 01Even, firm and symmetrical padding
- 02Tight covering without folds or distortions
- 03Neat seams, edges, and appropriate patterns
- 04Durable result that maintains shape and comfort
“Good padding is checked not just with the eye, but with the hand. It should both look right and feel right.”