EXPEDITED RULES
LABOR AND INDUSTRIES
Title of Rule: Chapter 296-78 WAC, Safety standards for sawmills and woodworking operations.
Purpose: Chapter 296-78 WAC, Safety standards for sawmills and woodworking operations:
WAC 296-78-56501 Log dumps and ponds.
| Amended to mirror federal rule regarding when buoyant devices must be provided and used. |
| Amended WAC 296-78-56505( 8)(f) to remove buoyancy and strength minimums for life rings and attached lines, that are not contained in federal rule. |
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, [49.17].050.
Statute Being Implemented: Chapter 49.17 RCW.
Summary: See Purpose above.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: See Purpose above.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Tracy Spencer, Tumwater, (360) 902-5530; Implementation and Enforcement; Michael A. Silverstein, Tumwater, (360) 902-5495.
Name of Proponent: Department of Labor and Industries, governmental.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: See Purpose above.
Proposal Changes the Following Existing Rules: WAC 296-78-56501 Log dumps and ponds and 296-78-56505 Boats and mechanical devices on waters, are being amended to make them at-least-as-effective-as corresponding federal requirements (29 C.F.R. 1910.265 (d)(2)(h) and (g), respectively).
| Employees must be issued and wear personal flotation devices; and |
| Specifying minimum buoyancy and strength requirements for life rings and attached lines. |
THIS RULE IS BEING PROPOSED UNDER AN EXPEDITED RULE-MAKING PROCESS THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR THE AGENCY TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS, PREPARE A SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT, OR PROVIDE RESPONSES TO THE CRITERIA FOR A SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATIVE RULE. IF YOU OBJECT TO THE USE OF THE EXPEDITED RULE-MAKING PROCESS, YOU MUST EXPRESS YOUR OBJECTIONS IN WRITING AND THEY MUST BE SENT TO Christine Swanson, Department of Labor and Industries, P.O. Box 44001, Olympia, WA 98504-4001 , AND RECEIVED BY 5:00 p.m. December 28, 2001.
October 24, 2001
Gary Moore
Director
OTS-5197.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 01-11-038, filed 5/9/01,
effective 9/1/01)
WAC 296-78-56501
Log dumps and ponds.
(1) Log dumps,
booms, ponds or storage areas, if used at night, shall be
illuminated in accordance with the requirements of WAC 296-800-210, safety and health core rules.
(2) A log dump shall be constructed at each log pond or decking ground. Log trucks shall not be unloaded by use of peavies or by hand.
(a) The roadbed shall be of hard packed gravel, heavy planking or equivalent material and shall be maintained at all times. Roadbeds at log dumps shall be of width and evenness to insure safe operation of equipment.
(b) A mechanical unloading device shall be provided and used for unloading logs. Log unloading areas shall be arranged and maintained to provide a safe working area.
(c) Signs prohibiting unauthorized foot or vehicle traffic in log unloading and storage areas shall be posted.
(d) At no time shall one person be permitted to work alone on a log dump, a booming or rafting grounds, or a log pond.
(3) Water log dumps. Ungrounded electrically powered hoists using handheld remote control in grounded locations, such as log dumps or mill log lifts, shall be actuated by circuits operating at less than 50 volts to ground.
(4)(a) A brow log, skid timbers or the equivalent shall be installed on all log dumps.
(b) Where logs are unloaded onto skids, sufficient space shall be provided between the top of the skids and the ground to accommodate the body of a person.
(c) All truck dumps shall be built with not more than six inches variation of level from side to side.
(5)(a) All truck log dumps shall be equipped with a positive safeguard to prevent logs from leaving the load on the side opposite the brow log. Jill pokes shall not be used on truck log dumps.
(b) Unloading lines shall be attached and tightened or other positive safeguard in place before binder chains are released at any log dump.
(c) Stakes and chocks which trip shall be constructed in such manner that the tripping mechanism that releases the stake or chocks is activated at the opposite side of the load being tripped.
(d) Binders shall be released only from the side on which the unloader operates, except when released by remote control devices or except when person making release is protected by racks or stanchions or other equivalent means.
(e) Loads on which a binder is fouled by the unloading machine shall have an extra binder or metal band of equal strength placed around the load, or the load shall be otherwise secured so that the fouled binder can be safely removed.
(f) Unloading lines, crotch lines, or equally effective means shall be arranged and used in a manner to minimize the possibility of any log swinging or rolling back.
(6)(a) In unloading operations, the operator of unloading machine shall have an unobstructed view of the vehicle and the logs being unloaded.
(b) Unloading lines shall be arranged so that it is not necessary for the employees to attach them from the pond or dump site of the load except when entire loads are lifted from the log-transporting vehicle.
(7) All log dumps shall be kept reasonably free of bark and other debris.
(8) Employees shall remain in the clear until all moving equipment has come to a complete stop.
(9) Artificial log ponds subject to unhealthy stagnation shall be drained, cleansed, and water changed at least once every six months.
(10) All employees whose regular work requires walking on logs shall wear spiked or calked shoes, except when working in snow.
(11) Employees ((working on, over or along water, where the
danger of drowning exists, shall be provided with and shall wear
approved personal flotation devices)) whose duties require them
to work from boats, floating logs, boom sticks, or walkways along
or on water must be provided with and must wear appropriate
buoyant devices while performing such duties.
(a) Employees are not considered exposed to the danger of drowning:
(i) When working behind standard height and strength guardrails;
(ii) When working inside operating cabs or stations which eliminate the possibility of accidentally falling into the water;
(iii) When wearing approved safety belts with lifeline
attached so as to preclude the possibility of falling into the
water((;
(iv) When water depth is known to be chest-deep or less)).
(b) Prior to and after each use, personal floating devices shall be inspected for defects which would reduce their designed effectiveness. Defective personal flotation devices shall not be used.
(c) To meet the approved criteria required by this subsection (11), a personal flotation device shall be approved by the United States Coast Guard as a Type I PFD, Type II PFD, Type III PFD, or Type V PFD, or their equivalent, pursuant to 46 CFR 160 (Coast Guard lifesaving equipment specifications) and 33 CFR 175.23 (Coast Guard table of devices equivalent to personal flotation devices). Ski belt or inflatable type personal flotation devices are specifically prohibited.
(12)(a) Wooden pike poles shall be of continuous, straight grained No. 1 material. Defective poles, blunt or dull pikes shall not be used.
(b) Aluminum or other metal poles shall not be used where hazard of coming in contact with live electric wires exists.
(13)(a) Walkways and floats shall be provided and security anchored to provide safe passage for workers.
(b) Permanent cable swifters shall be so arranged that it will not be necessary to roll boom sticks in order to attach or detach them.
(c) Inspection of cable or dogging lines shall be made as necessary to determine when repair or removal from service is necessary.
(14)(a) Decks of floats or other walkways shall be kept above the waterline at all times and shall be capable of supporting four times the load to be imposed.
(b) Floating donkeys or other power-driven machinery used on booms shall be placed on a raft or float with enough buoyancy to keep the deck above water.
(15)(a) All regular boom sticks and foot logs shall be reasonably straight, have all protruding knots and bark removed, and shall be capable of supporting above the waterline at either end, any necessary weight of workers and equipment.
(b) Stiff booms shall be two float logs wide secured by boom chains or other connecting devices, and of a width adequate for the working needs. Walking surfaces shall be free of loose material and maintained in good repair.
(c) Boom sticks shall be fastened together with crossties or couplings.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. 01-11-038, 296-78-56501, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 89-11-035 (Order 89-03), 296-78-56501, filed 5/15/89, effective 6/30/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, 49.17.050 and 49.17.240. 81-18-029 (Order 81-21), 296-78-56501, filed 8/27/81.]
(2) The bilge area shall be kept clean and oil, grease, fuel, or highly combustible materials shall not be allowed to accumulate.
(3) Adequate ventilation equipment shall be provided and used for the bilge area to prevent the accumulation of toxic or explosive gases or vapors.
(4) Adequate ventilation equipment shall be provided and used for the cabin area on enclosed cabin-type boats to prevent an accumulation of harmful gases or vapors.
(5) Deck and cabin lighting shall be provided and used where necessary to provide safe levels of illumination aboard boats. Boats operated during the period from sunset to sunrise, or in conditions of restricted visibility, shall display navigation lights as required by the United States Coast Guard. Searchlights or floodlights shall be provided to facilitate safe navigation and to illuminate working or boarding areas adjacent to the craft.
(6) Decks of pond boats shall be covered with nonslip material. On craft used by workers wearing calked shoes, all areas where the operator or workers must stand or walk shall be made of or be covered with wood or other suitable matting or nonslip material and such covering shall be maintained in good condition.
(7) Each boat shall be provided with a fire extinguisher and
life ring with at least fifty feet of one-fourth inch line
attached. On log broncs, boom-scooters, or other small boomboats
where all occupants are required to wear life saving devices and
a life ring would present a tripping hazard, the life ring may be
omitted.
| Note: | For additional requirements relating to portable fire extinguishers see WAC 296-800-300. |
(b) When employees are assigned work at other casual locations where exposure to drowning exists, at least one approved life ring with at least ninety feet of line attached, shall be provided in the immediate vicinity of the work assigned.
(c) When work is assigned over water where the vertical drop from the accidental fall would exceed fifty feet, special arrangements shall be made with and approved by the department of labor and industries prior to such assignment.
(d) Lines attached to life rings on fixed locations shall be at least ninety feet in length, at least one-fourth inch in diameter, and have a minimum breaking strength of five hundred pounds. Similar lines attached to life rings on boats shall be at least fifty feet in length.
(e) Life rings must be United States Coast Guard approved thirty-inch size.
(f) Life rings and attached lines shall be provided and
maintained to retain ((at least seventy-five percent of)) their
((designed)) buoyancy and strength.
(g) Log broncs, boomscooters, and boomboats shall not be loaded with personnel or equipment so as to adversely affect their stability or seaworthiness.
(h) Boats shall not be operated at an excessive speed or handled recklessly.
(i) Boat fuel shall be transported and stored in approved containers. Refer to WAC 296-24-58501(19) for definition of approved.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. 01-17-033, 296-78-56505, filed 8/8/01, effective 9/1/01. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 96-17-056, 296-78-56505, filed 8/20/96, effective 10/15/96; 88-23-054 (Order 88-25), 296-78-56505, filed 11/14/88. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, 49.17.050 and 49.17.240. 81-18-029 (Order 81-21), 296-78-56505, filed 8/27/81.]