Woodturner Geoffrey Laycock Advocates for Full-Face Shields
Woodturner and writer Geoffrey Laycock argues that the high-speed risks of woodturning necessitate full-face protection, not only safety glasses, citing
Woodturner Geoffrey Laycock insists on wearing a full-face shield for all lathe work. He bases this on the inherent risks of spinning wood at high speeds, where hidden defects can cause pieces to fly off.
Laycock, writing for the Woodworkers Institute, examines the impact risk. He states that timber can contain hidden weaknesses like shakes, splits, or decay. These flaws can be struck by a turning tool or fail under centrifugal force alone. When a piece breaks free, it can fly in any direction, but fragments hit by the chisel often head straight toward the turner.
The Critical Vulnerability of Eyes
Eyes are uniquely vulnerable and irreplaceable, Laycock notes. A high-speed wood fragment can cause irreparable damage. He describes the eye as "a semi-rigid, almost spherical container full of jelly." While people can adapt to losing one eye, losing both is devastating.
He recounts a legal precedent from a 1946 UK court case involving a man named Paris, a mechanic for Stepney Borough Council. Paris had already lost one eye during World War II. While using a hammer, a metal sliver struck his remaining good eye, resulting in total blindness. Laycock uses this story to show that worst-case scenarios, however unlikely, must inform safety practices. For turners with poor vision in one eye, he says, taking greater care is imperative.
Why Safety Glasses Are Not Enough
The core of Laycock's argument is that safety glasses provide insufficient protection for woodturning. He advises a full-face shield instead. His logic is straightforward: a flying object might miss the eyes but still cause serious injury to the forehead, cheeks, or other facial areas. A face shield eliminates this possibility.
Also, he states that a face shield offers higher impact energy protection than any available safety glasses. This higher rating is essential for the forces involved when a lathe project fails. The protection needed must match the potential consequence of the activity.
A Foundational Safety Principle
Laycock's conclusion is unambiguous. "Whatever you are turning, wear protection," he writes, and he always recommends a full-face shield over spectacles. The recommendation applies regardless of the wood source-be it a prepared blank, self-sourced seasoned timber, or green wood. The fundamental action of turning at several hundred revolutions per minute introduces the risk. His final point is a simple question of risk reduction: why not use the equipment that provides the most comprehensive safety?
