Section 408.16347. Chippers.

(1) An employee feeding a chipper shall not have a work station in direct line with the chipper hopper.

(2)   The in-feed conveyor shall be guarded for its entire length by an enclosure or standard barrier as prescribed in R 408.10231 and R 408.10233 of General Industry Safety Standard Part 2 “Floor and Wall Openings, Stairways and Skylights,” as referenced in R 408.16302.

(3)   The chipper hopper shall be enclosed not less than 40 inches from the blades to the opening and be baffled to prevent wood from being thrown from the hopper.

(4)    An employee feeding a chipper within 42 inches of the hopper shall wear a safety belt and line designed to prevent falling into the hopper.

(5)   Where jam-ups cannot be cleared, the in-feed equipment shall be stopped and locked out. The employee clearing the jam shall wear a safety belt and line which will prevent contact with the blades before additional clearing is done. If it is necessary to remove or loosen a blade hood, the power shall be shut off and locked out.

(6)   Chipper knives shall be transported on a carrier.

(7)    Hearing protection equipment shall be worn by the operator and others in the immediate area if there is any possibility that the noise level may be harmful and shall be in compliance with Occupational Health Standard Part 380 “Occupational Noise Exposure,” as referenced in R 408.16302.

History: 1979 AC; 2014 AACS.