Machine Safeguarding Requirements for Lathe Chuck Guards
Lathes are often overlooked when Risk
Assessments are conducted to determine appropriate machine guarding. OSHA
regulations consider lathes to be a 1910.212 machine, saying to the employer,
“One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the
operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those
created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying
chips, and sparks” but requirements are vague because they cover such a wide
variety of machinery. Therefore, a reference to something more detailed, like
ANSI B11.6 on metalworking lathe chuck guards, is required for specific
safeguarding alternatives.
How to Build Lathe Chuck Guards?
From a practical standpoint, the
rotating chuck cannot be fully enclosed, unlike gears, sprockets, or chains
which can and usually are completely covered, often by the machine’s
manufacturer. However, that same lathe manufacturer may provide no safeguarding
at or near the point of operation.
Hinged chuck-shields are one of the most
common methods to protect lathe operators from the rotating work-holder. Their
purpose is to prevent an operator from inadvertently coming in contact with the
chuck, which often results in entanglement with it, resulting in serious injury
or even death. Chuck shields are commercially available from numerous
providers. They may be constructed of metal, polycarbonate, or some combination
of materials. When not in use, they need to be swung up out of the way, so most
are hinged. Although U.S. Safety Standards and Regulations do not require
chuck-shields to be electrically interlocked, some European manufacturers offer
that feature. With electrically interlocked shields, when the lathe chuck
shield is lifted up, the positive contacts on the microswitch open, sending a
stop signal to the machine control. The machine will not start up again until
the emergency stop button has been reset.
Lathe Chuck Guards Protection
Another type of protection commonly used
on lathes is a chip/coolant shield. These are often useful when the operator’s
personal protective equipment (PPE) does not adequately control the waste
product coming off of the cutting tool. If chips strike the operator in the
upper body or accumulate on the floor creating a slip-trip hazard, a
chip/coolant shield is often suggested to supplement the operator’s PPE. OSHA’s
1910.219 addresses the need to cover rotating components to prevent the
operator’s hair and clothing from getting entangled, dragging them into the
machine. These rotating components include the lead screw, feed rod, traverse
rod, and camshaft, in the lower front portion of the lathe.
Telescopic metal sleeves are available
to cover a lathe’s horizontal rotating components, although many manufacturing
companies elect not to use them. According to feedback from OSHA Compliance
Officers and Insurance Loss Control Inspectors, one of the most common lathe
accidents results from the misuse of the standard chuck wrench furnished by the
lathe manufacturer.
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