Washington Administrative Code

(1) You must establish and implement written procedures for lockout/tagout to prevent the accidental start up or release of stored energy of machinery that is shut down for repairs, maintenance, or adjustments.(2) Lockout/tagout procedures must contain specific steps for:(a) Shut…

(1) Spikes, drift bolts, nails, or other metal must not be left in any recoverable log.(2) You must provide and maintain portable fire extinguishers on each machine and vehicle.(3) Machines, vehicles, and portable powered tools (unless diesel powered) must not be fueled while the…

"Chain shot" is the high velocity separation and ejection of a piece or pieces of cutting chain from the end of a broken chain in mechanized timber harvesting. Chain shot exposes both machine operators and bystanders to a risk of serious injury or death. Chain shot typically occu…

(1) Employees who will be working on or around any kind of machinery equipped with a hydraulic driven bar and chain are to receive chain shot awareness training appropriate to their job. This training must include:(a) Clearance distances for workers around the machine. All bystan…

(1) The cutting system must be inspected before initial use during each workshift. Inspections must include:(a) The lubrication system for leaks or damage.(b) The chain for cracks or worn/damaged parts.(c) The bar for wear and straightness and ensure the tip is properly secured.(…

(1) Sharpen chains to the manufacturer's specifications.(2) Maintain proper bar and chain lubrication, making sure to use the right type and amount of lubricant.(3) Replace the drive sprocket when it has excessive wear.(4) Clean guide bar grooves and oil port holes regularly.(5) …

(1) When possible, keep the chain shot cone clear of the operator and other persons.(2) Follow the chain manufacturer's recommendation for chain speed. "Boosting" or exceeding the manufacturer's recommendation is prohibited.(3) Maintain proper chain tension.[Statutory Authority: …

(1) The seats of each vehicle must be securely fastened.(2) Each school bus type vehicle that will transport nine or more passengers must have a substantial barricade behind the driver. The barricade must extend from the floor to at least a level even with the top of the driver's…

(1) Defective equipment in need of repair must be reported to management as soon as possible and such equipment must not be used until repairs are completed if there is a possible hazard to safety of the operator or other employees.(2) Each vehicle used to perform any logging ope…

Each machine equipped with ROPS or FOPS and each vehicle (whether provided by the employee or you) must meet the following requirements:(1) A seat belt must be provided for each vehicle, vehicle occupant, and all machines equipped with ROPS.Note:An employer is not required to ret…

One of the following conditions must exist in work areas where equipment or machines are operated near electrical distribution and transmission lines:(1) The lines have been deenergized and visibly grounded at the point of work;(2) Insulating barriers that are not a part of or an…

(1) Haul road grades must not exceed 20 percent unless:(a) Special equipment and safety measures are used to accommodate the steep grade; or(b) The logging equipment or truck is specifically designed and approved by the manufacturer for operation on grades over twenty percent.(2)…

(1) Banks at the borrow area must be sloped to prevent slides.(2) Backfill must be firmly compacted.(3) Roadside banks must be sloped or stabilized to prevent slides.(4) Overhanging banks, large rocks and debris must be removed or secured.(5) Where riprap is used, the material an…

(1) Each hand and portable powered tool, including any tool provided by an employee, must be maintained in serviceable condition.(2) Each tool, including any tool provided by an employee, must be inspected before initial use during each workshift. The inspection must include at l…

(1) Operators must inspect chain saws daily to ensure that handles and guards are in place, and controls and other moving parts are functional.(a) Each chain saw placed into initial service after February 9, 1995, must be equipped with a chain brake and, shall otherwise meet the …

(1) You must assign work areas so that:(a) Trees cannot fall into an adjacent occupied work area;(b) The distance between work areas is at least two tree lengths of the trees being fell (see Figure 1: Distance Between Work Areas);Figure 1: Distance Between Work Area(c) The distan…

(1) Where felled trees are likely to roll and endanger workers, cutting must proceed from the bottom toward the top of the slope, and uphill from previously fell timber.(2) A cutter must not be placed on a hillside immediately below another cutter or below other logging operation…

(1) The tree (and root wad if applicable) must be carefully examined to determine which way the logs (and root wad) will roll, drop, or swing when the cut is completed. No worker shall be allowed in this danger zone during cutting. The cut must be made from a position that will n…

(1) Each danger tree must be carefully checked for signs of loose bark, broken branches and limbs, or other damage before they are fell or removed. Accessible loose bark and other damage that may create a hazard for an employee must be removed or held in place before falling or r…

(1) Springboards must be:(a) Made of clear, straight grained sound stock;(b) Long enough, wide enough, and strong enough; and(c) Replaced when they will no longer safely support the expected load at the extreme end.(2) Springboard irons must be well lipped and firmly attached wit…

(1) The cutter must be responsible for determining if a tree can be safely pulled. If, for any reason, the cutter believes the tree pulling cannot be completed safely, the tree must be conventionally fell.(2) When using a radio, positive radio communications must be maintained at…

(1) A flagger(s) must be assigned on roads where hazardous conditions are created from falling trees. Where there is no through traffic, such as on a dead end road, warning signs or barricades may be used instead of a flagger(s).(2) Self-propelled mobile falling equipment used fo…

(1) Standard climbing equipment must be furnished by you. However, the climber may use personal equipment, if it meets the requirements of this section and is permitted by you.(a) The climber may fasten climbing rope by passing it through "D" rings fastened to the belt and around…

(1) Rigging must be arranged and operated so that rigging and loads will not foul or saw against lines, straps, blocks, or other equipment or material.(2) When not in use, rigging must be stored so that it does not present a hazard to employees.(3) Tongs, grapples, logs and mater…

(1) An authorized, qualified person must thoroughly inspect all blocks, straps, guylines, butt rigging, and other rigging before they are used.(2) The inspections must include examining for:(a) Damaged, cracked, or worn parts;(b) Loose nuts and bolts;(c) Need for lubrication; and…

(1) Molles must not be used as a temporary connection between two spliced eyes of a load-supporting running line. Double molles may be used on droplines only and single molles may be used on strawline.(2) Molles must be as large as the pinhole will accommodate and have the loose …

(1) Shackles used to hang blocks, jacks, or rigging on spars, must have the pins secured with a nut and cotter key or a nut and molle.(2) Flush pin, straight-sided shackles must be used for mainline, slackline and skyline extensions.(3) Shackles with screw pins, knockout or slip …

Straps must be used according to the following requirements:(1) Straps or chokers used to hang corner or tail blocks and straps used to anchor skylines/slacklines must be the size required by Table 1: Strap/Choker Size in Inches.Table 1: Strap/Choker Size in InchesRunning Line Si…

(1) Load-bearing blocks must:(a) Not be used for heavier strains or lines than those for which they are constructed;(b) Be fitted with line guards;(c) Be designed and used to prevent fouling;(d) Be kept in proper alignment when in use;(e) Be equipped with bearing and yoke pins th…

(1) All logging systems must use enough corner or tail blocks to distribute the stress on anchors and attachments.(2) Blocks (other than passline or haywire) must be hung by one of the following methods:(a) Hanging the block in both eyes or Ds of the straps (threading eye through…

(1) Chokers must be at least one size smaller than the mainline. If a dropline is used it must have a breaking strength equal to a line one size smaller than the mainline.(2) All butt hook rigging must be used in a manner to prevent loss of the choker.(3) Molles or cold shuts are…

(1) Spar, tail and intermediate support trees must be examined carefully for defects before being selected. They must be sound, straight, green and of sufficient diameter to withstand the strains to be imposed.(2) Trees having defects that impair their strength must not be used f…

(1) A qualified, authorized person must direct each raising and lowering of a portable spar or tower.(2) All employees not engaged in the raising or lowering of portable spars must stay in the clear during these operations.(3) Portable spars must be leveled to provide proper line…

(1) Each portable metal spar must have an identification plate permanently attached to its base or on the yarder in a position that can be easily read by a person standing on the ground or on the base platform.EXCEPTION:A hydraulic loader with yarding drums is not required to hav…

(1) A metal spar guyline safety strap or equivalent device must be installed at the bight of the guylines to prevent guylines from falling vertically more than five feet in case of structural or mechanical failure of the guyline attachment.(2) The safety strap or equivalent devic…

(1) Wire rope must be of the same or better grade as originally recommended by the equipment manufacturer.(2) Wire rope must be removed from service when any of the following conditions exist:(a) In running ropes, six randomly distributed broken wires in one lay or three broken w…

(1) Hard hammers must not be used for cutting cable with a wire ax or when splicing.(2) Employees must wear eye protection when cutting lines.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040 and [49.17].050. WSR 99-17-117, § 296-54-55710, filed 8/18/99, effective 12/1/99.]

(1) Marlin spikes must be used for splicing. The marlin spikes must be:(a) Large enough for the size of the line being spliced; and(b) Maintained in good condition.(2) Short splices, eye-to-eye splices, cat's paws, and knots are prohibited except for moving nonload-bearing lines.…

(1) The manufacturer's recommendations must be followed when attaching sockets and other end fastenings.(2) Using cable clips or clamps for joining lines is prohibited, except to transfer slack lines from one place to another.(3) When U-bolt cable clips are used to form eyes, Tab…

(1) Guylines must be used with any logging equipment when required by the equipment manufacturer.(2) At least the minimum number and angle of guylines recommended by the equipment manufacturer must be used.(3) Unless otherwise specified by the equipment manufacturer, guylines mus…

(1) Whenever a tail/lift tree is within reach of the work area and the rigging is placed on the tail/lift tree at a height greater than five times the tree diameter (dbh), at least two guylines must be used unless tree size and strength and rigging position eliminate the need for…

(1) Trees used as intermediate supports must be sound and straight from the ground to the point of strap attachment; and must be rigged so that:(a) Carriage clearance, as measured at the base of the support tree(s) is approximately five feet.(b) The jackline/support line (see Fig…

(1) A skyline must not make an angle greater than fifty degrees measured from the horizontal as it leaves the tail/lift tree. (See Figure 18: Maximum Angle for Load Bearing Guylines and Skyline.)(2) When rigged in a tail/lift tree, the skyline must be anchored no more than eight …

(1) Stumps used to anchor guylines and skylines must be carefully chosen for position, height, and strength. When necessary, stump anchors must be tied back to distribute the load.(2) Stump anchors, when spiked, must be barked where attachments are to be made.(3) Stump anchors mu…

The following procedures must be followed when removing spiked guylines or spiked skylines from stumps:(1) Reversed safety wrap is put on and secured before loosening the last wrap;(2) An authorized employee is in charge of loosening guylines or skylines;(3) The authorized employ…

(1) All logging machinery must have speed limiting devices, safety stops, or emergency shut down devices or shut off valves, with the controls located so that in the event of an emergency, the prime mover may be shut down from a safe place.(2) The floor and lower portion of cabs …

In-woods chipping must be performed according to the following:(1) Chipper access covers or doors remain closed until the drum or disc stops completely.(2) Infeed and discharge ports are guarded to prevent contact with the disc, knives, or blower blades.(3) The chipper is shut do…

(1) Engines not equipped with turbochargers must be equipped with spark arrestors in compliance with the department of natural resources, chapter 332-24 WAC, requirements for spark-emitting equipment.(2) Each machine muffler provided by the manufacturer, or their equivalent, must…

Glass installed on logging machines must:(1) Be free of deposits of oil and mud or defects that could endanger the operator or other employees;(2) Be safety glass or a type that provides equal protection;(3) Be removed or replaced if defective or broken glass impairs the vision o…

(1) Brakes or dogs must be installed on all machine drums and maintained in effective working condition.(2) Drum brakes must have an independent locking device that will hold the drum when the operator leaves the machine and the machine is not operating.(3) Brakes must be protect…