Terrible Lathe Accident
- Thread starter saabman
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Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Two kids would be kicked the **** out of class, no discussion about it. One for pushing the button, and the other for having his leg up on the lathe. No reason at all for that.
As far as clothing around a lathe, you can wear long sleeve shirts as long as the sleeves are buttoned up. People that get into accidents do so because for one, they don't know what a machine is capable of, for another, they have no respect for that machine. I started out running big lathes and mills at a young age. I was taught by ones older than me to respect a machine, which I always did. And the ones I taught over the years, I taught them the same thing......RESPECT THE MACHINE!!!!
I have watched ones get caught up in screw machines, I have witnessed ones lobbing their digits off in a punch press many a time, and I have a BIL that is partially paralyzed due to a lathe accident. In all incidents, even though there was no safety equipment at the time, the accidents could have been avoided. Well, except for the Punch Presses that double tripped. But even at that, you wanted to keep your fingers out if at all possible. People ***** today that runs machines with all of the safety guarding on them, but ***** as they may, industrial accidents have been reduced because of it. One place I worked, in two years time, I bet I witnessed at least 8 people lose a few digits off of their hands.
4 FN 27
ALLIANCE MEMBER
This is an article about a friend of mine got sucked into a Mill when he was alone in his shop...
http://competitionplus.com/drag-rac...aholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email
http://competitionplus.com/drag-rac...aholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email
McBrownie
Well-known member
I'm in the camp that this thread should be deleted with respect to the deceased. My first job was at an automotive manufacturer and it was a UAW shop (stamping, tapping, welding, etc...) The union AND the company had a requirement - if you didn't follow safety procedures, you were gone. No warnings, no second chances. The saying was that they would rather see you leave without a job instead of without a finger, hand, or worse. I never saw an accident, but the old-timers told stories of people losing arms. There were plenty of old-timers missing fingers. Even with that requirement, people would still lose their jobs for not following the procedures.
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Hpozzuoli
Well-known member
This is very sad. It's also disturbing that there was no reverence to the dead and this pic was circulated. Let's all take heed from others mistakes and make safety a tribute to this horrific accident.
cat06
Well-known member
Leave it up
I work in aviation, retired military, every year we had safety awareness, always these kinds of videos.......they are not pleasent or fun to watch, but make you stop and think before starting work and can help prevent an accident.
I work in aviation, retired military, every year we had safety awareness, always these kinds of videos.......they are not pleasent or fun to watch, but make you stop and think before starting work and can help prevent an accident.
sqznby
Well-known member
I agree, it should be left alone.
It is very sad and quite disturbing but a very good lesson for anyone around heavy machinery.
It is very sad and quite disturbing but a very good lesson for anyone around heavy machinery.
Strouty
Well-known member
If that picture was used for training, I am willing to bet the family gave permission to use it in hopes that it would keep someone else from suffering a similar fate.
DocsMachine
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2006
- Messages
- 1,859
I glanced, briefly, at that photo (assuming it's the same one) years ago when it was first posted, and that was enough for me.
I'm a full-time machinist, but self-employed. I always shudder to think what would happen if I got into some mess- since I'm not a "storefront" type shop, it could be days before somebody came by to find me.
Fortunately, most of my machines are small. Doesn't mean they can't still seriously injure me or even kill me, but it's a lot harder to get dragged into a 1/4" endmill.
On the other hand, I'm just not putting the finishing touches to a (relatively) huge 16" gearhead lathe- it actually swings 18-1/2", and has a 10HP motor with a top speed of only about 700 rpm. That's more than enough power to drag me and three of my closest friends in and turn us all into a fine paste. I'm gonna put a sign on it that says "This Machine Does Not Take Prisoners".
Respect the Machine.
Doc.
I'm a full-time machinist, but self-employed. I always shudder to think what would happen if I got into some mess- since I'm not a "storefront" type shop, it could be days before somebody came by to find me.
Fortunately, most of my machines are small. Doesn't mean they can't still seriously injure me or even kill me, but it's a lot harder to get dragged into a 1/4" endmill.
On the other hand, I'm just not putting the finishing touches to a (relatively) huge 16" gearhead lathe- it actually swings 18-1/2", and has a 10HP motor with a top speed of only about 700 rpm. That's more than enough power to drag me and three of my closest friends in and turn us all into a fine paste. I'm gonna put a sign on it that says "This Machine Does Not Take Prisoners".
Respect the Machine.
Doc.
ibedayank
Well-known member
even the tiny 7inch lathes have the power to take off fingers. Benchtop mills could help remove parts of a hand or your scalp. USE your BRAINS the machine does not have one so will not care if you wind up meatsause on the shop floor!!!!
mtechgunman
Well-known member
No way I'm clicking that link.
It should be left up though.
I've seen more than my fair share of training material and accident pictures from the oil and gas industry.
It should be left up though.
I've seen more than my fair share of training material and accident pictures from the oil and gas industry.
Power Sedan
Well-known member
I'm a machinist, and work with older LaBlonde lathes, basically same size as what you see in the link. As gruesome as it maybe, it's something I fear I'll one day witness. We have individuals that I work with that wear loose fitted long sleeve hoodies at work. I've made a point that it's unsafe, only to be told to basically "buzz off!"
I would never share a link to exploit someone else's grief, but this may just save one of my co-workers lives!
My condolences to this family, and may this gentlemen rest in peace.
I would never share a link to exploit someone else's grief, but this may just save one of my co-workers lives!
My condolences to this family, and may this gentlemen rest in peace.
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Going through Air Force tech school to teach us how to work on aircraft they showed us lots of nasty pictures to scare all the 18-19 year olds into following the book. Everything from liquid oxygen burns, effects of an over serviced tire, and a finger that had a ring on it and got caught. As bad as it is to see, it is a good reminder and something to think about before performing a task. My career has gotten me to always think "worst case scenario" about what I'm about to do. I am a lot more careful than I used to be...but older now too.
Spareparts
Well-known member
Worked at a lumber yard that made trusses in Irving Texas, the foreman was giving me a safety lecture on the large radial arm saw. He said, "right there is where I left my arm" I got cockey and in a hurry. Yup he had my attention.
2mJps
Well-known member
They showed us a film in school about farm accidents it was very graphic i think it was a good thing. I think every one wanting to be a machinist should see this it realy makes you think. I have had to free people from machines before i cant stand to hear some one scream even if its a young girl playing around. I cant under stand why any one would want to see a horror movie.
mikester
Well-known member
So what next ? Find all the gory photos online showing a guy torn in half from a bike accident or a family of 4 burnt to a crisp in a car wreck to make people drive safer ?
Anyone that works for a living knows theres always a chance of an accident happening. Some can be more serious than others. Personally I dont need to see the gory remains of some poor guy to make me more careful doing what I do.
RedneckWelder
Well-known member
The two idiots and the lathe video---the one with his leg up and holding onto the chuck key was trying to show off and keep the lathe from moving while he had the other 'tard press the start button.
I am 100% in agreement with kicking them out of the class and barring them from taking any other shop classes. But such is not done these days.
bobbycos
Well-known member
what would happen is the families would sue and WE AS TAXPAYERS would foot the settlement for their idiocy
the pics of the lathe accident are graphic but serve a purpose to prevent the injury/death of someone else
tlmartin84
Well-known member
Man, I don't know how I feel about this. Where was the instructor?
You guys remember being "young and dumb". There is something in your brain that changes between the age of 20-30 that makes you realize how dangerous stuff actually is.
Even though I have some experience with a lathe it makes me hesitate in getting one.
In college, we were turned loose in a machine shop....... no instructions, no instructors, learn on your own kind of thing. All I can say is we were lucky because we did some dumb stuff.
I learned my respect for the lathe one day turning a large hub. I went to part it off of the stock and sunk a parting tool deep into the stock with nothing supporting the end. It pinched and yanked the whole hub out of the jaws and threw the stock right by my face and the hub flew 10' in the air. All I could do was just throw my hands over my head and hope. I was lucky it just glanced my cheek.........
I learned a lot from that type of stuff, but everyone should see that type of thing prior to entering the shop, and be shown how to properly use and setup the equipment.
mikester
Well-known member
I'll be 62 this month. I will NEVER forget my first day in HS shop class. The teacher had us lined up in a row and gave us the safety talk. One of the things he stressed was DONT TOUCH ANYTHING unless youve been shown what it does and how to use it. Two minutes after he was finished speaking one of the idiots pulled the valve on the compressor tank and scared the **** out of everyone. The teacher ripped the kid a new ***. Too funny. I remember that like it happened yesterday.
I don't object to this type of post with the exception of one photo. I didn't dwell too long on the images but as I recall there is one in which the poor soul's face is recognizable. I feel this should have been blurred out in photoshop. That way in a year or whatever most people who knew the man who come across the image are not so likely to make the recognition and the photo remains impersonal.
As someone with no previous training around lathes I take a good lesson from images like this. Last fall I gently lifted a basketball sized bundle of swarf and turned to drop it in a bucket. One strand that was looped over my finger caught on a knob and I cut my finger 1/2 off. Without any training or guidance I'd gotten more and more accustomed to dealing with it and lost my fear and respect for it and what it could do. Now I think of it as a mile long edge of a razor blade in a loose bundle. Today this 50 year old equipment and the cheap chinese versions are very affordable to us novices, we do need to learn to respect it.
As someone with no previous training around lathes I take a good lesson from images like this. Last fall I gently lifted a basketball sized bundle of swarf and turned to drop it in a bucket. One strand that was looped over my finger caught on a knob and I cut my finger 1/2 off. Without any training or guidance I'd gotten more and more accustomed to dealing with it and lost my fear and respect for it and what it could do. Now I think of it as a mile long edge of a razor blade in a loose bundle. Today this 50 year old equipment and the cheap chinese versions are very affordable to us novices, we do need to learn to respect it.