Chapter 296-307 Safety standards for agriculture.

(1) Unless guarded by location, clutches, cutoff couplings, or clutch pulleys with projecting parts must be enclosed by a stationary guard constructed according to WAC 296-307-28046. The employer may use a "U" type guard.(2) In enginerooms, a guardrail, preferably with toeboard, …

Belt pole (sometimes called a belt shipper or shipper pole). A device used in shifting belts on and off fixed pulleys on line or countershaft where there are no loose pulleys.(1) Tight and loose pulleys must have a permanent belt shifter with a mechanical means to prevent the bel…

(1) Standard guards must be made of the following materials:(a) Expanded metal;(b) Perforated or solid sheet metal;(c) Wire mesh on a frame of angle iron; or(d) Iron pipe securely fastened to the floor or the frame of the machine.(2) Wire mesh should have wires that are securely …

(1) Guards must be free from burrs, sharp edges, and sharp corners.(2) Expanded metal, sheet or perforated metal, and wire mesh must be securely fastened to the frame by one of the following methods:(a) Rivets or bolts spaced not more than five inches center to center. In case of…

(1) A disk guard must have a sheet-metal disk of at least No. 22 gauge fastened by U-bolts or rivets to the spokes of pulleys, flywheels, or gears. To prevent contact with sharp edges of the disk, the edge must be rolled or wired. In all cases, the nuts must have locknuts on the …

The materials and dimensions specified in this section apply to all guards. The materials and dimensions specified are minimum requirements. The employer may choose to provide stronger guards.Exception:Horizontal overhead belts, rope, cable, or chain guards more than 7 feet above…

Wood guards may be used where fumes would cause rapid deterioration of metal guards and outdoors where extreme cold or extreme heat make metal guards and railings undesirable.(1) Wood must be sound, tough, and without loose knots.(2) Guards must be made of planed lumber not less …

(1) Guards for horizontal overhead belts must run the entire length of the belt and follow the line of the pulley to the ceiling or extend to the nearest wall.Exception:Where belts are located so that it is impractical to extend the guard to wall or ceiling, the guard must comple…

(1) Overhead belt guards must be at least one-quarter wider than the belt they protect, with a maximum clearance of 6 inches on each side. Overhead rope-drive and block and roller-chain-drive guards must be at least 6 inches wider than the drive on each side.(2) Overhead silent c…

(1) Overhead-rope and chain-drive guard construction must meet the requirements for overhead-belt guard construction of similar width.Exception:The filler material must be solid, according to Table P-2, unless fire hazard demands the use of open construction.(2) A side guard memb…

(1) A guardrail used to guard power transmission parts must be 42 inches tall, with a midrail between the top rail and the floor.(2) Posts must be 8 feet apart or less. They must be permanent and substantial, smooth, and free from protruding nails, bolts, and splinters. If made o…

(1) Shafting must be kept in alignment, and free from rust and excess oil or grease.(2) Where explosives, explosive dusts, flammable vapors or flammable liquids exist, guards must take into account the hazard of static sparks from shafting.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.…

(1) Pulleys must be kept in proper alignment to prevent belts from running off.(2) Any pulley carrying a nonshifting belt should have a crowned face.(3) Cast-iron pulleys should be tested frequently with a hammer to detect cracks in rim or spokes. The sound is different depending…

(1) Quarter-twist belts without an idler can be used on drives running in one direction only. They will run off a pulley when direction is reversed.(2) The employer must inspect belts, lacings, and fasteners to be sure they are kept in good repair.(3) Dressing should not be appli…

(1) The employer must inspect all power-transmission equipment at least every sixty days and ensure that it is kept in good working condition at all times.(2) Bearings must be kept in alignment and properly adjusted.(3) Hangers must be inspected to ensure that all supporting bolt…

[WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § 296-307-290, filed 4/7/97, effective 4/7/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and [49.17.]060. WSR 96-22-048, § 296-306A-290, filed 10/31/96, effective 12/1/96.]

Augers. Screw conveyors and related accessories designed primarily for conveying agricultural materials on farms.(1) Power take-off shafts must be guarded according to WAC 296-307-28046.(2) All augers must be covered or guarded when exposed to contact.(3) The employer must ensure…

The employer must ensure that auger conveying equipment manufactured after October 25, 1976, is guarded as follows:(1) Sweep-arm material-gathering mechanisms used on the top surface of materials within silo structures are guarded. The lower or leading edge of the guard is no mor…

[WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § 296-307-300, filed 4/7/97, effective 4/7/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and [49.17.]060. WSR 96-22-048, § 296-306A-300, filed 10/31/96, effective 12/1/96.]

WAC 296-307-300 applies to the guarding and care of farmstead equipment.Farmstead equipment. Agricultural equipment normally used in a stationary manner. This includes, but is not limited to, materials handling equipment and accessories for such equipment whether or not the equip…

(1) The employer must ensure that all power takeoff shafts, including rear-mounted, mid-mounted or side-mounted shafts, are guarded either by a master shield or by other protective guarding. The master shield must be strong enough to prevent damaging the shield when a 250-pound o…

(1) All power transmission parts must be guarded according to WAC 296-307-280.(2) Smooth shafts and shaft ends (without any projecting bolts, keys, or set screws) may be unguarded if they:(a) Revolve at less than 10 RPM; and(b) Are part of feed handling equipment used on the top …

The following functional components must be shielded to a degree consistent with the intended function and operator's vision of the component:(1) Snapping or husking rolls;(2) Straw spreaders and choppers;(3) Cutterbars;(4) Flail rotors;(5) Rotary beaters;(6) Mixing augers;(7) Fe…

(1) Guards, shields and access doors must be in place when the equipment is in operation.(2) Where removal of a guard or access door will expose an employee to any component that continues to rotate after the power is disengaged, the employer must provide in the immediate area, a…

(1) The employer must ensure that only the employee maintaining or servicing equipment has control of the electrical power source by:(a) Providing an exclusive, positive locking means on the main switch that can be operated only by the employee performing the maintenance or servi…

(1) The employer must ensure that carton or bag stitching machines are properly safeguarded to prevent anyone from coming in contact with the stitching head and other pinch or nip points.(2) The point of operation of all machines must be guarded. The guard must be designed and co…

[WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § 296-307-320, filed 4/7/97, effective 4/7/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and [49.17.]060. WSR 96-22-048, § 296-306A-320, filed 10/31/96, effective 12/1/96.]

(1) WAC 296-307-320 covers the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment in which the unexpected start up of the machine or equipment or release of stored energy could cause injury to employees. This standard establishes minimum performance requirements for the control …

(1) WAC 296-307-320 does not apply to work on cord and plug connected electric equipment when:(a) Unexpected energization or start up of the equipment is controlled by unplugging the equipment from the energy source; and(b) The plug is under the exclusive control of the employee …

Affected employee. An employee who uses a machine or equipment while it is serviced or maintained under lockout or tagout, or who works where such servicing or maintenance is being performed.Authorized employee. A person who locks out or tags out machines or equipment in order to…

The employer must establish a written energy control program consisting of:(1) An energy control procedure;(2) Employee training; and(3) Periodic inspections.The purpose of the program is to ensure that before any employee services or maintains a machine or equipment where the un…

(1) If an energy isolating device is not capable of being locked out, the employer's energy control program must use a tagout system.(2) If an energy isolating device is capable of being locked out, the employer's energy control program must use lockout unless a tagout system wil…

(1) The employer must ensure that when a tagout device is used on an energy isolating device that is capable of being locked out, the tagout device is attached at the same location that the lockout device would have been attached. The employer must also ensure that the tagout pro…

(1) The employer must develop, document, and use procedures to control potentially hazardous energy when employees are engaged in activities covered by this section.Exception:The employer is exempt from documenting procedures for a particular machine or equipment only when all of…

(1) The employer must provide locks, tags, chains, wedges, key blocks, adapter pins, self-locking fasteners, or other hardware for isolating, securing, or blocking machines or equipment from energy sources.(2) Lockout and tagout devices must be singularly identified; must be the …

(1) The employer must conduct an inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirements of this standard are followed.(a) An authorized employee, other than the one(s) using the energy control procedure, must perform the ins…

The employer must provide training to ensure that employees understand the purpose and function of the energy control program, and that employees have the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, use, and removal of the energy controls. The training must include th…

When tagout systems are used, employees must also be trained in the following limitations of tags:(1) Tags are warning devices affixed to energy isolating devices, and do not provide the physical restraint on those devices that is provided by a lock.(2) When a tag is attached to …

(1) Authorized and affected employees must be retrained whenever there is a change in job assignments, machines, equipment, or processes that present a new hazard, or when there is a change in the energy control procedures.(2) Additional retraining must also be provided whenever …

The employer must keep records that certify that employee training has been completed and is up to date. The records must contain each employee's name and dates of training.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 20-21-091, § 296-307-32025, f…

Lockout or tagout must be performed only by authorized employees performing the service or maintenance.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 20-21-091, § 296-307-32027, filed 10/20/20, effective 11/20/20. WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § 296-…

Affected employees must be notified of the application and removal of lockout or tagout devices. Notification must be given before controls are applied and after they are removed.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 20-21-091, § 296-307-32…

The established lockout or tagout procedures must cover the following elements in the following sequence:Machinery or equipment shutdown before lockout or tagout:(1) Before an authorized or affected employee turns off a machine or equipment, the authorized employee must have know…

(1) Before removing lockout or tagout devices, the authorized employee must complete the following procedures:(a) Inspect the work area to ensure that nonessential items have been removed and to ensure that machine or equipment components are operationally intact.(b) Check the wo…

When lockout or tagout devices must be temporarily removed from the energy isolating device and the machine or equipment energized to test or position the machine or equipment, the following sequence of actions must be followed:(1) Clear the machine or equipment of tools and mate…

(1) Whenever outside servicing contractors are to be engaged in activities covered by this standard, the employer and the outside employer must inform each other of the employer's respective lockout or tagout procedures.(2) The outside employer must ensure that employees understa…

(1) When servicing and/or maintenance is performed by a crew or other group, they must use a procedure that provides a level of protection equivalent to that provided by the implementation of a personal lockout or tagout device.(2) Group lockout or tagout devices must be used acc…