A Lathe, as with many pieces of equipment used in the workplace, can be a serious danger if it is used incorrectly, is defective or unsuitable, or where appropriate personal protective equipment isn’t supplied. Thankfully we have rather thorough health and safety legislation here in the UK which gives workers the rights to make a claim when their employer has breached important safety rules.
Let’s look at the legislation and when you may be able to make an accident compensation claim for a Lathe injury at work.
We’ll take a look at the regulations and how they are applicable to the use of a Lathe and how they give you the rights to make a claim if you are injured.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
Regulation 5(1) is all about the suitability of the lathe, and states as follows:
Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided.
So if the Lathe is not suitable for the job, perhaps because the job is too large or small to be clamped securely and safely on the Lathe, then any injury that occurs as a result of its unsuitability may give you the right to make a claim for work injury compensation.
Regulation 6 is all about the Lathe being safe to use:
Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.
As such, if a Lathe is broken or defective and this causes an injury, your employer could be found in breach of the law here which can give you the right to make a claim.
There is also a section dedicated to preventing access to dangerous parts of the machinery that could cause injury, as well as providing emergency stop controls in the event that something goes wrong. Allowing access to dangerous parts or a failure to have accessible stop controls that leads to a Lathe injury can again give an employee the right to make a claim if they are injured.
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations
There may be sharp edges or jobs, as examples, that could necessitate the provision of gloves to prevent injuries occurring. They can also prevent potential burn injuries if the material on a job has heated up through use of the lathe, and overalls can protect the arms and other areas of the body where applicable.
Eye protection may be required in the event that any particles or debris is projected in to the eyes when using the lathe.
Proper training in the workplace
Training is, of course, very important indeed. If you are not properly trained in how to use the Lathe, or knowledgeable about the dangers and what not to do and what you need to do to stay safe, you may have a claim if this results in an injury.
It is the responsibility of your employer to ensure that you are properly trained and, where applicable, supervised as well.
If you are injured using a Lathe at work, call our claims helpline for expert help and advice.
