Safe use of metal turning lathes

Risk

During spindle rotation, the bar can bend and strike nearby employees.

Control

• Use workpieces of minimum length to reduce the amount of bar protruding from the headstock. Where the bar protrudes, use a bar feeder system or support stands to secure the bar during machining.
• Use a bar feeder system or support stands to hold the bar securely during machining.
• Guard bar feed weights with hinged covers extending to the floor.
• Ensure the lathe speed is appropriate for the material being machined.
• Consider the type of material, its physical particulars and its dimensions.
• Install barriers around the protruding workpiece and its support. This can help prevent employees touching the rotating workpiece during operation.

Risk

Employees can become entangled in pulleys, belts or gears when lathe is in operation.

Controls

Ensure exposed drive mechanisms are guarded at the front and back of the lathe. The guard cover should be interlocked to prevent any unsafe access.

Risk

Employees can become entangled in unguarded drive mechanisms, the chuck, the chuck assembly or the workpiece when the lathe is in operation.

Control

Ensure controls, such as the light switch, and equipment such as a coolant hose, are within easy access of the operator and away from the working zone.

Risk

Employees can activate incorrect controls resulting in an unplanned function.

Control

All operating controls must be clearly labelled with its correct function.

Risk

Employees can activate the wrong control resulting in an unplanned function.

Control

Ensure operators are adequately trained in the correct sequence for using controls.

You must provide employees with any necessary information, instruction, training or supervision to enable them to perform their work in a way that is safe and without risks to health.

Where a hazard associated with plant is identified, you must ensure employees using the plant are provided with information and instruction on hazard identification and risk control, safety procedures, safe use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Risk

Stored objects can fall onto the spinning chuck and be propelled at the operator or nearby employees.

Controls

• Ensure the headstock is clear and free from clutter.
• Do not place items on the headstock.

Risk

Employees can become entangled on the uneven surface of the exposed chuck or workpiece.

Control

Install guarding with interlocking.

Note: Employers must ensure guarding does not stop employees using the lathe in a safe manner or block the view of the task. Guarding should account for the size of the largest chuck where multiple chucks are used, as well as the swing of the workpiece and the chuck jaw.

Risk

Employees near the lathe can be struck by the chuck key if propelled from the lathe.

Controls

• Use a self-ejecting, spring loaded chuck key.
• Use an extended key design that stops the interlocked guard being lowered when the key is in the chuck.

Risk

Employees can be struck by the workpiece that is not securely held in the chuck.

Control

Ensure the chuck selected is appropriate for the workpiece being machined and meets the manufacturer specifications.

Risk

Employees can be struck by the chuck that is not securely held in the spindle.

Control

• Check the locking mechanism specific to the chuck.
• Ensure it is used as per manufacturer and supplier recommendations.
• Check that the chuck is securely fastened before use.

Risk

Employees can sustain musculoskeletal or crushing injuries when changing heavy chucks and faceplates.

Control

Use an overhead crane or mounted lifting aid.

Risk

Use of incorrect chucks can result in the chuck or workpiece becoming loose and striking employees.

Controls

• Ensure the chuck rating is within the required rating for the lathe.
• Use the best suited chuck for the task. For example, use a 4 jaw chuck for irregular shapes, and a 3 jaw chuck for round work pieces.

Risk

Employees can become caught on chucks and faceplates that are poorly maintained or have protrusions.

Controls

• Ensure chucks and faceplates are selected or designed so there are no catch points, particularly where custom designs are used. Note: where custom designs are used, they need to be designed and fabricated by suitably competent persons.
• Ensure chucks and faceplates are set up to manufacturer and supplier specifications.

Risk

Chuck jaws in full extension allow for oversized workpieces — these can be propelled from the lathe when spinning or they can become a point of entanglement due to the extended parts sticking out.

Controls

Use the most appropriate chuck for the task. This includes configuring the jaws of the chuck to best suit the task and the work piece. For example, reverse the jaws so there is maximum scroll on each jaw.

Risk

Unsecured objects can become projectiles when the lathe is started, possibly striking employees.

Controls

• Ensure everything is secured on the carriage.
• Ensure guarding is placed on the carriage, where appropriate.

Risk

Use of worn or damaged tools can result in tool failure and can become projectiles or create irregular or long cuttings that can lead to lacerations.

Control

• Ensure worn or damaged tools are not used.
• Ensure worn or damaged tools are removed from the workplace.

The planning of the task will need to include consideration for the speed at which the lead and feed screws travel.

Where tasks such as thread cutting and the automatic feeds of the carriage is required, an assessment of risk will need to include the speed at which the lead and feed screws travel.

Risk

Employees can become entangled in exposed lead and feed screws when the lathe is in operation, particularly if the lathe is being used by several users with various levels of experience. For example, in a learning institution.

Control

Where appropriate, ensure lead and feed screws are guarded.

The employer or self-employed person must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that guarding designed for that purpose will prevent access to the danger area of the plant (OHS Regulations 99(2)).

Risk

Employees can become entangled on protrusions on the workpiece being turned.

Control

Review the danger area and consider if it is possible to guard the area. Where it is not reasonably practicable to guard, then ensure there is a suitable combination of administrative controls to manage the risk. This includes planning the task, ensuring that the operator is suitably competent and experienced and providing supervision where necessary.

Risk

Employees can become caught on coupling and clamps that are poorly maintained or have protrusions.

Controls

• Ensure couplings and clamps are selected or designed so there are no catch points, particularly where custom designs are used.
• Ensure couplings and clamps are set up to manufacturer and supplier specifications.

Risk

Unsupported workpieces can become loose and strike employees.

Controls

Use fixed or travelling steadies to support long, slender workpieces between centres, or to support the outer end of the long piece held in the chuck for drilling or boring.

Risk

Employees can become entangled in turning cuttings.

Controls

• Consider appropriate cutting speeds, feed rate and chip thickness during task planning.
• Use lathe tools with chip breakers of the gullet or step type.
• Ensure appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided and used correctly.

Risk

Unprotected handling of shavings, cutting and swarf can result in lacerations.

Control

Ensure swarf handles and buckets are used when cleaning swarf, shaving and cuttings from lathe. Note: This task should only be done when the lathe is not in use.

Risk

Swarf, cuttings or workpieces can become projectiles and strike nearby employees, causing injuries such as lacerations and fractures.

Control

Ensure guarding is placed around lathe.

Risk

While operating the lathe, the operator can be bumped or startled by passing traffic, causing the operator to come into contact with the lathe.

Controls

• Ensure the lathe is located in an area that has little to no traffic.
• Use suitable barriers to stop employees — who are not using the lathe —and vehicles from unnecessarily entering the area. Barriers should not obstruct employees using the lathe from moving workpieces on or around the lathe.
• Create a restricted zone around the lathe operator during machining. The restricted zone must be supported with a clearly communicated policy and signs.

An emery cloth should never be held or applied by hand to a rotating workpiece.

Risk

Employee can become entangled in the lathe.

Controls

Never hold or apply an emery cloth by hand to a rotating workpiece.

Ensure the emery cloth is applied using a:

• backing board or good quality wood
• tool post to place the cloth on
• 'nutcracker' consisting of 2 backing boards lined with emery cloth and joined at one end. They are shaped to allow the surface to be linished.

Risk

Operator is unable to stop the lathe during an emergency.

Control

If the lathe includes an emergency stop button or pedal, the employer should ensure that:

• the stop device is prominent, clearly and durably marked and immediately accessible to each operator of the plant
• any handle, bar or push button associated with the device is coloured red, and
• the device cannot be adversely affected by electrical or electronic circuit malfunction.

Risk

Loose clothing, accessories and hair can become entangled in the moving parts of the lathe, chuck assembly or workpiece.

Controls

• Ensure close-fitting clothing with no catch points is worn by operators.
• Ensure jewellery, including watches, rings, bracelets, chains, is removed before operating the lathe.
• Ensure long hair is tied back with a tie or hairnet.

Risks

• The flashing effect of fluorescent light can make a spinning lathe appear to have stopped. This can lead to employee entanglement.
• Lighting placed over the lathe can be struck by projectiles from the machining process. Employees nearby can be injured by the light shattering.

Controls

• Workstations should be lit with lights that do not produce a flashing effect, for example, incandescent lights.
• Lighting should not be positioned where it can be damaged. If damage is a risk, lighting should be protected.
• Also, ensure the on/off switch is located away from a danger zone. Position the switch in a safer place, to the side of the work zone of the lathe, for example.

Risks

• Employees can slip or trip on cutting oils, swarf or cuttings that are not cleaned from the floor.
• Employees can also trip over lathe parts or workpieces that are not returned to storage areas.

Controls

• Ensure liquids and cuttings are cleaned from the floor as soon as possible after they spill or are produced.
• Ensure lathe parts and workpieces are returned to storage areas when they are no longer being used.

Risks

Employees can become entangled in the lathe if it is accidentally activated during maintenance and repairs.

Controls

• Ensure a lockable isolation switch is present on the lathe.
• Ensure standard operating procedures exist for maintenance and repair of the lathe.

Risk

Gloves can become caught in moving parts when the lathe is operating.

Control

Ensure gloves are not worn when using a lathe that is operating.

Risk

Shavings, cuttings and swarf may be ejected from the lathe and make contact with employees' eyes.

Control

Ensure employees wear safety glasses when operating the lathe.

Risk

Employees without personal protective footwear may be exposed to a crushing foot injury if heavy workpieces or lathe parts are being moved.

Control

Ensure employees wear steel-capped safety shoes or boots when operating the lathe.