201125 Injuries to lathe operators

A crewmember was engaged in lathe work in the ship's workshop. In violation of standard operating procedures, he was wearing tight-fitting cotton gloves during the operation. The chuck was rotating at high speed when suddenly, it caught the right glove and in an instant, the crewmember's hand was caught and severed two fingers and a third finger was fractured. The ship was in port and the seaman was evacuated for emergency medical treatment.

Editor's note: Numerous serious accidents involving lathes and drilling machines have been traced to:
Improper mounting of work piece and tightening of chuck
Undone or loose-fitting cuffs
Oversize coveralls
Loosely worn watches or jewellery
Uncovered long hair
The speed with which these accidents occur will quickly disable the operator and in most cases, preventing him/her from accessing the emergency stop button.