A sad and salutary tale

[Yorkieguy]

The risks and safety precautions regarding woodturning are often mentioned, but not always heeded, whether it's dust protection, eye protection, making sure that the wood is properly secured on the lathe, and wearing appropriate clothing. (I've seen youtube videos of people wearing shorts and sandals - drop a skew chisel and it could rip open a leg or pierce a foot). This tragic event reinforces the need to secure the wood - bringing up the tailstock when necessary, adequate chucking, running the lathe at the correct speed, and wearing a visor:

Huddersfield mum found son 'loved more than life' dead after freak tragedy

Just a young man, trying to make a living and making his way in life.

 

[Democritus]

Another sad event. Poor lad, one of our Woodturning community who made a fatal mistake.
A recently watched a Youtube video, ‘Woodturning Oct 2022 Urn failure’, that demonstrates very powerfully the need to wear adequate face shields.
D.

 

[Stigmorgan]

I've experienced 1st hand how painful a blank to the face can be, I was lucky, nothing was broken and I only have a slight scar across the top my nose where the skin split as the blank rolled up my face.

 

[SLM]

I work in a high risk job, in a high risk industry. I see lots of instances of accidents, both firsthand and reported; I don’t recall seeing an instance of an accident, where all procedures had been followed correctly. Sadly, this often leaves us thinking ‘if only’… if only this young man had worn his face shield. If only the workpiece had been secured such that pieces could not become detached.

The safest part is that this, and many instances like it are very easily avoided.

 

[Jacob]

I do wonder about lathe speeds. Slower must be safer.
What's a recommended face shield? I'm planning to do more turning and maybe should look closer at safety.

 

[Spectric]

I think that we do seem to have a low rate of accidents in the home woodworking sector considering the range of skills and often no formal training. Maybe this makes us more cautious and aware that a very simple mistake could be life changing.

I work in a high risk job, in a high risk industry.

Should the objective not be to reduce the risk to manage the hazards, risk is just the probability of a hazard occuring where it is the hazard that causes injury.

The problem in some industries are the major hazards get all the attention when it comes to mitigation and yet it is the simple trips and falls that end up causing the most lost time incidents.

 

[SLM]

I think that we do seem to have a low rate of accidents in the home woodworking sector considering the range of skills and often no formal training. Maybe this makes us more cautious and aware that a very simple mistake could be life changing.

We generally to manage and reduce the risk, in my industry, very effectively. However, it is a global industry, where costs are often cut, notably in poorer parts of the world, where there is less training, less investment, where preventative maintenance is not the norm, and where corruption is rife.

Risk is reduced by the correct procedures.

Should the objective not be to reduce the risk to manage the hazards, risk is just the probability of a hazard occuring where it is the hazard that causes injury.

The problem in some industries are the major hazards get all the attention when it comes to mitigation and yet it is the simple trips and falls that end up causing the most lost time incidents.

 

[sploo]

I do wonder about lathe speeds. Slower must be safer.
What's a recommended face shield? I'm planning to do more turning and maybe should look closer at safety.

Something that has an impact rating and protects your face and head. The Trend Airshield Pro is I believe a good option. The 3M Versaflo is pricey but also has an impact rated helmet/visor (there are multiple helmet options).

I've been hit in the face a couple of times whilst turning (using the Trend) and whilst it wasn't pleasant it basically resulted in a shock and a headache; rather than a broken nose or worse.

 

[Spectric]

Not having a woodworking lathe but can see the dangers of wood being thrown out, could you not have an acyrilic / polycarb shield between you and the workpiece or would this just get in the way ? Maybe something like a sandblasting cabinet arrangement without the rubber gloves, just a large shield with two holes so you can put your arms through to work but with a 8mm polycarb shield to stop anything from hitting your head.

 

[Blister]

So young and so sad , Never skip any safety equipment PPE or RPE .

 

[Henniep]

The risks and safety precautions regarding woodturning are often mentioned, but not always heeded, whether it's dust protection, eye protection, making sure that the wood is properly secured on the lathe, and wearing appropriate clothing. (I've seen youtube videos of people wearing shorts and sandals - drop a skew chisel and it could rip open a leg or pierce a foot). This tragic event reinforces the need to secure the wood - bringing up the tailstock when necessary, adequate chucking, running the lathe at the correct speed, and wearing a visor:

Huddersfield mum found son 'loved more than life' dead after freak tragedy

Just a young man, trying to make a living and making his way in life.

There is no such thing as an 'accident'. Injury or damage is caused by the failure to recognise/identify or flaunting of the risks.

 

[gregmcateer]

I do wonder about lathe speeds. Slower must be safer.
What's a recommended face shield? I'm planning to do more turning and maybe should look closer at safety.

Jacob,
I've got this one, as recommended by other turners. It's robust and comfortable to wear for extended periods.

Uvex Bionic Face Shield with Clear Polycarbonate Visor and Anti-Fog/Hard Coat (S8510)

I like it coz it has a frame all round the poly carb, including under the chin, so a bit more strength than a more simple type. It also hinges up so you can stop the lathe and look closer at the work if need to.

When I'm sanding, I swap it out for a 3M air fed filtered mask, that I got second hand.

HTH

 

[Fergie 307]

I do wonder about lathe speeds. Slower must be safer.
What's a recommended face shield? I'm planning to do more turning and maybe should look closer at safety.

I would say you want a n impact rated faceshield, and decent trousers and boots. You will drop a tool sooner or later and don't want it sticking in your leg or foot. Upper body I suppose the old leather or heavy canvas apron is as good as anything. I would never wear sleeves than come below the elbows. Sadly most "accidents" are nothing of the kind. They are because someone has ignored a known risk, usually along the lines of I have been doing this for x number of years and never had an issue. Or just a lack of imagination of the potential consequences of something goes wrong. Truing up a big bowl blank or similar without wearing some face protection is just stupid. Unless you have x ray vision you have no idea what flaws may be present, which could cause it to disintegrate with potentially large pieces heading for your face at high speed, not likely to be beneficial to your health.

 

[Dave Moore]

I've experienced 1st hand how painful a blank to the face can be, I was lucky, nothing was broken and I only have a slight scar across the top my nose where the skin split as the blank rolled up my face.

Hi,
I was using a 9” grinder at work wearing ear protection and a full face visor. I was cutting steel scrap and as I got to the end of the cut the cutting did snagged. The grinder jumped back and the handle hit the visor which hit my top lip. My lip ended up swollen nearly as far out as my nose end. I have a small scar on my lip but I dread to think what the result would have been if I had been only wearing safety goggles.
Regards,
Dave

 

[HamsterJam]

I do wonder about lathe speeds. Slower must be safer.
What's a recommended face shield? I'm planning to do more turning and maybe should look closer at safety.

I use a Honeywell Bionic as recommended to me by a professional turner.
Fortunately I have not personally tested its impact resistance but it does give full face coverage.

 

[Terrytpot]

.. could you not have an acyrilic / polycarb shield between you and the workpiece or would this just get in the way ?

Can’t help thinking the same, whilst I don’t own a lathe I did spend a fair bit of time using them as a youngster as I originally started off as an engineer and that’s what they all used. Granted they were principally about directing swarf and coolant away from the operator or floor but the later equipment (like nc and cnc tooling) generally were fully enclosed offering pretty good protection for unforeseen circumstances.

 

[Agent_zed]

Not having a woodworking lathe but can see the dangers of wood being thrown out, could you not have an acyrilic / polycarb shield between you and the workpiece or would this just get in the way ? Maybe something like a sandblasting cabinet arrangement without the rubber gloves, just a large shield with two holes so you can put your arms through to work but with a 8mm polycarb shield to stop anything from hitting your head.

Google image search shows a lot of products like this. Basically a polycarb or wire shield held over the workpiece.

From my limited knowledge spindle turning is far safer and things like big bowls is where the danger is increased.

I have a cheap full face mask/shield from toolstation but it is B rated for impact so in theory it is as good as any other B rated face shield. I also tend to wear a leather apron to protect a little against body impact.

 

[Stigmorgan]

Can’t help thinking the same, whilst I don’t own a lathe I did spend a fair bit of time using them as a youngster as I originally started off as an engineer and that’s what they all used. Granted they were principally about directing swarf and coolant away from the operator or floor but the later equipment (like nc and cnc tooling) generally were fully enclosed offering pretty good protection for unforeseen circumstances.

I don't think this would work for woodturning where you need to move around quite a bit, it would very quickly get in the way

 

[Noel John]

As stated by one of the above. Our heath and safety states that there is no such thing as an accident. An incident it either the result of an unsafe condition or an unsafe action.

 

[MikeJhn]

Hi,
I was using a 9” grinder at work wearing ear protection and a full face visor. I was cutting steel scrap and as I got to the end of the cut the cutting did snagged. The grinder jumped back and the handle hit the visor which hit my top lip. My lip ended up swollen nearly as far out as my nose end. I have a small scar on my lip but I dread to think what the result would have been if I had been only wearing safety goggles.
Regards,
Dave

You where luckier than me Dave, I was cutting a screed with a 9" diamond disc when it snagged, even though I was wearing all the protection including chainsaw trousers it did not stop the disc hitting my leg, seventeen stitches later, the doctor said it could have been worse, but the heat from the disc cauterised the wound to a certain extent.