PUWER 1998 · Work equipment

Lathe Inspection and Testing

Independent inspection of your lathe as work equipment, against the PUWER duties, by a competent engineer surveyor.

The lathe is the machine shop's entanglement hazard in chief, and its worst accidents start with a strip of emery cloth held against a spinning bar. We carry out independent PUWER inspection and testing of metal and wood lathes, and issue the written record of inspection.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote
  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Risk basedInspection intervals set by a competent person under Reg 6
Written recordThe output is a record of inspection, not a certificate
EntanglementChuck, bar and leadscrew guarding are the heart of the inspection
Both tradesCentre lathes, CNC lathes and wood turning lathes inspected
Work equipment we inspect

Why your lathe needs PUWER inspection

A lathe rotates the work against a fixed tool, which means the hazard rotates too: the chuck and its jaws, the bar through the headstock, the leadscrew and feed shafts along the bed. Centre lathes remain the backbone of toolrooms and maintenance shops, CNC lathes carry production behind interlocked enclosures, and wood lathes turn in joineries and schools. Different trades, identical physics: anything that touches the rotating work can be wound in.

The practice PUWER inspection has to confront honestly is hand polishing with emery cloth on a running lathe, which HSE has campaigned against for years because the cloth snatches without warning and pulls the hand onto the work. A compliant lathe pairs guarding, chuck guards, bar feed enclosures, leadscrew covers, with braking that stops the spindle quickly and working practice the record can stand behind.

Centre lathes
CNC turning centres
Wood turning lathes
Chuck and jaw guards
Bar feed enclosures
Leadscrew and shaft covers
Foot brakes and stops
Interlocked enclosures
How it works

How we inspect your lathe

Our engineer inspects the chuck guard and any interlock, bar projection through the headstock, leadscrew and feed shaft covers, the foot brake and stop performance with spindle run down timed, emergency stops, CNC enclosure interlocks, chuck key practice, and the state of tooling and workholding, then runs the lathe so braking and guarding are judged live.

  • 1

    Inspect the guarding against the work

    Chuck guards, bar enclosures and covers are judged against the jobs the lathe actually runs, not the machine as delivered.

  • 2

    Time the stop

    Foot brake and stop performance are measured, because a spindle that coasts invites hands in while the hazard is still turning.

  • 3

    Record practice as well as plant

    Where working practice such as emery polishing on power undermines the guarding, the record says so plainly with the fix.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Manual, CNC and woodworking lathes covered by one inspection
  • Braking performance measured, not assumed
  • Frank findings on practice as well as hardware
  • Records and reminders through the SEIS client portal
What we check

Lathe: what a thorough inspection covers

Chuck guard and interlock

Missing chuck guards top the defect list on manual lathes. Where a guard is interlocked, we prove the interlock actually prevents a start.

Emery cloth on power

Hand polishing a running bar is the lathe's signature accident. The inspection asks how finishing is really done and records the answer.

Bar through the headstock

Unguarded bar whipping behind the headstock has killed. Projection, enclosures and bar feed condition are inspected at the rear, not just the front.

Braking and run down

The foot brake and stop must bring the spindle to rest quickly. We time it, and a lazy stop goes in the record with a target.

Leadscrew and feed shafts

Running screws at apron height catch clothing. Covers and their condition along the bed are part of every inspection.

Chuck key retention

A key left in the chuck is a projectile on start up. Spring loaded keys and the shop's discipline both get looked at, and recorded.

Intervals and your record

How often, and what you receive

Every lathe inspection closes with a written record of inspection under PUWER: the machine, the condition of guarding, braking and controls, observations on working practice where they bear on safety, defects with timescales, and the interval our competent person has set. PUWER asks for this record rather than a certificate, and it is filed in your SEIS client portal ready for audits, insurers and inspectors.

No fixed intervalFrequency set by risk and how the equipment is used
After assemblyRe-inspected where safe use depends on correct assembly or relocation
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a statutory certificate
Where it liftsAny powered lifting function is examined under LOLER

Anyone selling a PUWER certificate is using a marketing word, not a legal one. We issue a clear, dated inspection record you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full PUWER inspection service

Lathe is one of the many kinds of equipment we cover. We inspect the full range, across every sector, as an independent provider, one item or a whole site, anywhere in the UK.

See our full PUWER inspection service
Other services

Other statutory inspections we carry out

Many sites run more than one regime. We can examine all of it, under one independent provider.

LOLER inspectionThorough examination and certification of lifting equipment and accessories. PSSR examinationWritten Schemes and certified examination of pressure systems. LEV testingLEV thorough examination and test of your extraction systems.
PUWER FAQs

Lathe inspection: common questions

Do lathes need statutory inspection under PUWER?
Yes. A lathe is work equipment whose deterioration creates danger, so Regulation 6 requires inspection at suitable intervals by a competent person, recorded in writing, alongside the Regulation 11 guarding duties.
How often should a lathe be inspected?
At an interval set from its duty. A production CNC lathe or a busy toolroom centre lathe warrants a shorter cycle than a machine used occasionally, and our record states the interval and why.
Is polishing with emery cloth on the lathe really banned?
It is the practice behind a long list of serious accidents, and HSE guidance is blunt about it. Safer methods exist, from backing boards to polishing off the machine, and our record will flag the practice wherever we find it.
Do you inspect CNC lathes with full enclosures?
Yes. The enclosure moves the inspection to the interlocks, door guards and hold to run modes, which must genuinely prevent access to the spinning work, plus the same braking and control checks.
What about wood turning lathes?
Inspected to the same standard, with drive guarding, tool rest condition and speed selection for the blank given particular weight, because oversped blanks burst.
Is there a certificate at the end of the inspection?
No. PUWER produces a written record of inspection rather than a certificate. The record is the evidence the law asks you to keep, at least until the next one replaces it.
Where are the duties written down?
In PUWER 1998, Regulations 6 and 11 chiefly. HSE guidance on PUWER sets out the duties, and our PUWER regulations guide explains the record keeping, the intervals and what happens when defects are found.
How do I book a lathe inspection?
Call 0330 043 8191 or use the contact form. Single machines are welcome, and our industrial machinery inspection service can take in the mills, drills and saws around it on the same day.

Is your lathe due a PUWER inspection?

Talk to an engineer surveyor, get a quote and book your inspection anywhere in the UK.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote