IME, 99% of the time spindles drop right on the bed of the lathe,
shortly after hitting the toolrest. There are many other good reasons to
keep the toolrest close in. I have had chunks fly by when a chunk split
off the workpiece, but mostly it's been pretty boring.

A good high-impact face sheild is a good idea, regardless.

If it helps with your peace of mind, you can also get one of those
wierd-looking cage guards for spindles. If spindles were all you did, it
might not be too annoying.

As others have noted, keep the speed reasonable, which keeps the energy
down.

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Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by