Your most important skill isn't turning. It's turning safely.

Safety essentials

The least you need to know: 

1. MANDATORY: Wear a face shield or at minimum, safety glasses.
2. Wear a dust mask as needed
3. Wear ear protection as needed
4. NEVER reach across a machine that's running.  Why? Well, once I got my arm stuck in a conveyor belt and another time I got too close to the table saw blade. 
5. If you must wear gloves, cut off the fingertips. The lathe can grab the glove and remove your finger.
6. Understand how your tools work

          * How to put your bowl on the lathe
          * How to turn the lathe on and off
          * How to choose the right speed for the lathe to turn
          * How to use the tool rest
          * How to safely use each cutting tool (gouge, scraper, and parting tool)

That's the short list. Here's a long one from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety. 

• Wear safety glasses with side shields or safety goggles, or a face shield (with safety glasses or goggles) to protect yourself from flying chips.
• Wear hearing protection that is suitable for the level and frequency of the noise you are exposed to in the woodworking area.
• Wear respiratory protection when dust is generated (e.g., during sanding operations).
• Wear protective footwear when required.
• Work in well-lighted area.
• Before the lathe is turned on, make sure that all clamps and fittings are secure and that the work piece is free to turn.
• Use stock that is free of defects, such as loose knots, splits, cracks, or foreign objects.
• Hold tools firmly with both hands and against the tool rest.
• Hold the stock securely on the faceplate or between the centres.
• Use only furnished or approved tools that are meant for lathe work.
• Use sharp, well-maintained chisels and gouges.
• Select a speed that is appropriate for the job. Operate at speeds recommended by the manufacturer. Select a low speed and use a moderate cut depth to prevent splinters from flying out during roughing operations. The actual speed of the lathe depends on type of wood, a diameter of stock, nature of work being done and type of tool used.
• Adjust tool rests so that they are parallel and as close as possible to the stock. They should also be set high enough so that tools will cut into the wood slightly above the centre of the work being turned.
• Remove the tool rest when sanding or polishing.
• Use appropriate tools to hold the sand paper or emery paper whenever possible. Examples include a 'nut cracker' or the paper fixed to a piece of flat wood. If you must use your hands always hold the paper in a way that will not allow the paper to catch, pull or entangle around the stock.
• To make a faceplate turning, the one hand steadies the tip of the chisel, which holds the edge against the tool rest while the other hand guides the tool. Keep the tip of the chisel held higher than the handle.​​