Lathe Shields

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires in 29 CFR 1910.212 that one or more methods of machine safeguarding be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by the point of operation, rotating parts, flying chips, and sparks.

Metalworking lathes are covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212 and ANSI B11.6. According to 6.21 of ANSI B11.6, manual lathes shall be safeguarded with a chuck guard and chip and coolant splash shields as required.

Woodworking lathes are covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.213 and ANSI O1.1. According to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.213(o)(4), "Lathes used for turning long pieces of wood stock held only between the two centers shall be equipped with long curved guards extending over the tops of the lathes in order to prevent the workpieces from being thrown out of the machines if they should become loose." ANSI O1.1 states in 5.5.2 that the employer shall determine when an over-the-workpiece guard is required on a manual machine to minimize the possibility of injury from a thrown workpiece.

Danray Products' lathe shields are designed for manual lathes or similar machines. Lathes usually have three areas of consideration when safeguarding: (1) the rotating chuck, (2) the area where the tooling comes into contact with the workpiece, and (3) the leadscrew and other shafts below the bed. All three areas need to be safeguarded. Several standard sizes and types of shields are available to fit many applications, but custom shields are also available. Please contact us if you have a custom requirement.

Our lathe shields serve two basic functions: (1) they provide a safeguard between individuals and point-of-operation or rotating hazards, and (2) they protect individuals from flying chips, sparks, coolant, lubricant, and other particles.

Our polycarbonate lathe shields are made of 3/16"- or ¼"-thick (0.177" or 0.236" ± 10%) polished, UV-stabilized polycarbonate. They are virtually unbreakable with 250 times the impact strength of float glass and 30 times that of acrylic. Our steel lathe shields are made of 14- or 12-gauge steel.