Home
Standards
Glossary
User Guide
Logging Advisor
Text from the OSHA Logging Standard Amendment issued September 8, 1995 in the Federal Register Text from the OSHA Logging Standard Amendment issued September 8, 1995 in the Federal Register

Paragraph (f)(2)(xi) -- Machine Shutdown Procedures

The final rule specifies procedures which must be followed when a machine is shut down. These include applying brakes and grounding or securing moving elements (paragraph (f)(2)(x)), and discharging pressure and stored energy (paragraph (f)(2)(xi)). With regard to the discharge requirements, this provision is intended to prevent moving elements, such as blades, buckets, saws and shears from being unexpectedly or inadvertently activated or engaged after the machine has been shut down. Such activation has resulted in severe injury or death to logging operators, maintenance personnel or others in the vicinity of the machine (Ex. 2-1, 4-61, 4-63, 4-64, 26A).

OSHA stayed the discharge provision (paragraph (f)(2)(xi)) in order to reconsider whether the provision could be misinterpreted to require unnecessary discharging of pressure and stored energy. For example, OSHA was concerned whether employers might misinterpret the provision as requiring the discharge of pressure and stored energy not related to moving elements of the machine, such as bleeding machine brakes, a result which OSHA had not intended.

OSHA is therefore correcting this provision so it more accurately identifies and addresses the hazards OSHA intended to control in the final rule. Revised paragraph (f)(2)(xi) requires that the hydraulic and pneumatic storage devices which can move the moving elements of a logging machine after machine shut down and expose employees to serious hazards must be discharged as specified by the manufacturer.

OSHA is also correcting paragraph (f)(2)(x) to require that any time the operator leaves the machine cab, the parking brakes must be applied, the moving elements must be grounded or secured, and the transmission must be placed in park. A further review of the record indicates that such a correction is necessary since the hazard of unexpected or inadvertent activation of logging machines is present any time an operator leaves the machine cab, whether to perform another logging operation or to stop work for the day. The record includes several reports of machine operators and others who died or were severely injured when they failed to engage the parking brakes and lower moving elements to the ground before dismounting from the machine (Ex. 4-61, 4-64, 26A).

OSHA has addressed the hazard of inadvertent machine engagement in other rules as well (e.g., 29 CFR 1910.147, 29 CFR 1910.178). OSHA believes the same hazard addressed by those rules is present in logging operations. Therefore, OSHA is correcting the final rule and compliance directive to indicate that braking, grounding and parking procedures must be followed any time the operator leaves the machine cab.

*   *   *


Back Back

tracking image