13.2: Material Handling

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Page ID: 18199

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Material Handling Equipment Applicable equipment

These rules apply to the following types of earthmoving equipment: scrapers, loaders, crawler or wheel tractors, bulldozers, off-highway trucks graders, agricultural and industrial tractors, and similar equipment.

Seat Belts

Seat belts shall be provided on all equipment covered by this section, unless the equipment is designed only for stand-up operation.

Employer responsibility

No employer shall move, or cause to be moved, construction equipment or vehicles upon any access roadway or grade unless the access roadway or grade is constructed and maintained to accommodate safely the movement of the equipment and vehicles involved.

Service brake

All earthmoving equipment shall have a service braking system capable of stopping and holding the equipment fully loaded.

Pneumatic-tired earth-moving haulage equipment

Pneumatic-tired earth-moving haulage equipment (trucks, scrapers tractors, and trailing units) whose maximum speed exceeds 15 miles per hour shall be equipped with fenders on all wheels.

Bi-directional machines horn requirements

All bi-directional machines, such as rollers, compactors, front-end loaders bulldozers, and similar equipment, shall be equipped with a horn distinguishable from the surrounding noise level, which shall be operated as needed when the machine is moving in either direction.

The horn shall be maintained in an operative condition.

Obstructed view

No employer shall permit earthmoving or compacting equipment, which has an obstructed view to the rear, to be used in reverse gear unless the equipment has in operation a reverse signal alarm distinguishable from the surrounding noise level or an employee signals that it is safe to do so. This is the most frequently cited violation of Subpart O.

Equipment guarding

Scissor points on all front-end loaders, which constitute a hazard to the operator during normal operation, shall be guarded.

Lifting and Hauling Equipment

(Other than equipment covered under Subpart N)

Lift trucks, stackers, etc., shall have the rated capacity clearly posted on the vehicle so as to be clearly visible to the operator. When auxiliary removable counterweights are provided by the manufacturer, corresponding alternate rated capacities also shall be clearly shown on the vehicle. These ratings shall not be exceeded.

Modifications or additions to equipment

No modifications or additions, which affect the capacity or safe operation of the equipment, shall be made without the manufacturer's written approval. If such modifications or changes are made, the capacity, operation, and maintenance instruction plates, tags, or decals shall be changed accordingly. In no case shall the original safety factor of the equipment be reduced.

Lifting a load by two or more trucks working in unison

If a load is lifted by two or more trucks working in unison, the proportion of the total load carried by anyone truck shall not exceed its capacity.

Steering or spinner knobs

Steering or spinner knobs shall not be attached to the steering wheel unless the steering mechanism is of a type that prevents road reactions from causing the steering handwheel to spin. The steering knob shall be mounted within the periphery of the wheel.

Unauthorized personnel

Unauthorized personnel shall not be permitted to ride on powered industrial trucks. A safe place to ride shall be provided where riding of trucks is authorized.

Lifting personnel

Whenever a truck is equipped with vertical only or vertical and horizontal controls elevatable with the lifting carriage or forks for lifting personnel, the following additional precautions shall be taken for the protection of personnel being elevated:

Use of a safety platform firmly secured to the lifting carriage and/or forks.
Means shall be provided whereby personnel on the platform can shut off power to the truck.

Such protection from falling objects as indicated necessary by the operating conditions shall be provided.