Staying Safe While Tufting

Tufting, like any art form, comes with some potential health risks. To keep yourself protected, here are a few safety tips:

Noise: Tufting machines can occasionally be as loud as a drill or a heavy-duty sewing machine. If you are sensitive to noise or repetitive noise consider protecting your ears using earplugs or noise-canceling headphones while you work.

Fiber Inhalation: Yarn is made up of loose fibres twisted together. As it moves through your tufting machine, some fibers can break free, and you might end up inhaling them. This is normally not a big issue and also depends on how often you tuft. But if you are sensitive to dust, hay fever or any other airborne particles we recommend wearing a mask or running an air purifier while you work.

Adhesive Safety: Adhesives can vary in their toxicity and smell, and some might even be harmful if inhaled. Always check the label of your adhesive and follow the safety instructions. It's a good idea to apply adhesive in a well-ventilated space while wearing a mask and gloves. Latex for example, which is the most popular medium to coat your screen with, can smell pretty nasty.

Body Strain: Depending on your own build and strength tufting machines can be quite heavy, and using them for long periods might strain your wrists, feet, or back. If you start feeling sore, take a break and stretch. Wearing motocross fingerless gloves, comfy non-slip shoes, and maintaining good posture can help reduce discomfort.

Machine Handling: Try and make a habit of turning off your machine when you are pausing.

Carpet Grippers: Most tufting frames have carpet grippers around the frame to hold the tufting cloth tight. It has little nails that stick out at an angle, and more often than not tufters accidentally scrape them or grab them by mistake. This is obviously not life-threatening… you’ll just get a little prickle on your fingers at most.