WAC 296-78-835   Vehicles.  (1) Vehicles.

     (a) Scope. Vehicles shall include all mobile equipment normally used in sawmill, planing mill, storage, shipping, and yard operations, including log sorting yards.

     (b) Lift trucks. Lift truck shall be designed, constructed, maintained and operated in accordance with the requirements of WAC 296-24-230 through 296-24-23035 of the general safety and health standards.

     (c) Carriers. Drive chains on lumber carriers shall be adequately guarded to prevent contact at the pinch points.

     (d)(i) Lumber carriers shall be so designed and constructed that the operator's field of vision shall not be unnecessarily restricted.

     (ii) Carriers shall be provided with ladders or equivalent means of access to the operator's platform or cab.

     (e) Lumber hauling trucks.

     (i) On trucks where the normal operating position is ahead of the load in the direction of travel, the cab shall be protected by a barrier at least as high as the cab. The barrier shall be capable of stopping the weight of the load capacity of the vehicle if the vehicle were to be stopped suddenly while traveling at its normal operating speed. The barrier shall be constructed in such a manner that individual pieces of a normal load will not go through openings in the barrier.

     (ii) Stakes, stake pockets, racks, tighteners, and binders shall provide a positive means to secure the load against any movement during transit.

     (iii) Where rollers are used, at least two shall be equipped with locks which shall be locked when supporting loads during transit.

     (2) Warning signals and spark arrestors. All vehicles shall be equipped with audible warning signals and where practicable shall have spark arrestors.

     (3) Flywheels, gears, sprockets and chains and other exposed parts that constitute a hazard to workers shall be enclosed in standard guards.

     (4) All vehicles operated after dark or in any area of reduced visibility shall be equipped with head lights and backup lights which adequately illuminate the direction of travel for the normal operating speed of the vehicle. The vehicle shall also be equipped with tail lights which are visible enough to give sufficient warning to surrounding traffic at the normal traffic operating speed.

     (5) All vehicles operated in areas where overhead hazards exist shall be equipped with an overhead guard for the protection of the operator.

     (6) Where vehicles are so constructed and operated that there is a possibility of the operator being injured by backing into objects, a platform guard shall be provided and so arranged as not to hinder the exit of the driver.

     (7) Trucks, lift trucks and carriers shall not be operated at excessive rates of speed. When operating on tramways or docks more than six feet above the ground or lower level they shall be limited to a speed of not more than twelve miles per hour. When approaching blind corners they shall be limited to four miles per hour.

     (8) Vehicles shall not be routed across principal thoroughfares while employees are going to or from work unless pedestrian lanes are provided.

     (a) Railroad tracks and other hazardous crossings shall be plainly posted.

     (b) Restricted overhead clearance. All areas of restricted side or overhead clearance shall be plainly marked.

     (c) Pickup and unloading points. Pickup and unloading points and paths for lumber packages on conveyors and transfers and other areas where accurate spotting is required, shall be plainly marked and wheel stops provided where necessary.

     (d) Aisles, passageways, and roadways. Aisles, passageways, and roadways shall be sufficiently wide to provide safe side clearance. One-way aisles may be used for two-way traffic if suitable turnouts are provided.

     (9) Where an operator's vision is impaired by the vehicle or load it is carrying, he shall move only on signal from someone so stationed as to have a clear view in the direction the vehicle is to travel.

     (10) Reserved.

     (11) Load limits. No vehicle shall be operated with loads exceeding its safe load capacity.

     (12) Vehicles with internal combustion engines shall not be operated in enclosed buildings or buildings with ceilings less than sixteen feet high unless the buildings have ventilation adequate to maintain air quality as required by the general occupational health standard, chapter 296-62 WAC.

     (13) Vehicles shall not be refueled while motor is running. Smoking or open flames shall not be allowed in the refueling area.

     (14) No employee other than trained operators or mechanics shall start the motor of, or operate any log or lumber handling vehicle.

     (15) All vehicles shall be equipped with brakes capable of holding and controlling the vehicle and capacity load upon any grade or incline over which they may operate.

     (16) Unloading equipment and facilities.

     (a) Machines used for hoisting, unloading, or lowering logs shall be equipped with brakes capable of controlling or holding the maximum load in midair.

     (b) The lifting cylinders of all hydraulically operated log handling machines, or where the load is lifted by wire rope, shall be equipped with a positive device for preventing the uncontrolled lowering of the load or forks in case of a failure in the hydraulic system.

     (c) A limit switch shall be installed on powered log handling machines to prevent the lift arms from traveling too far in the event the control switch is not released in time.

     (d) When forklift-type machines are used to load trailers, a means of securing the loading attachment to the fork shall be installed and used.

     (e) A-frames and similar log unloading devices shall have adequate height to provide safe clearance for swinging loads and to provide for adequate crotch lines and spreader bar devices.

     (f) Log handling machines used to stack logs or lift loads above operator's head shall be equipped with overhead protection.

     (g) Unloading devices shall be equipped with a horn or other plainly audible signaling device.

     (h) Movement of unloading equipment shall be coordinated by audible or hand signals when operator's vision is impaired or operating in the vicinity of other employees.

     Lift trucks regularly used for transporting peeler blocks or cores shall have tusks or a similar type hold down device to prevent the blocks or cores from rolling off the forks.

     (17) Where spinners are used on steering wheels, they shall be of the automatic retracting type or shall be built into the wheel in such a manner as not to extend above the plane surface of the wheel. Vehicles equipped with positive antikickback steering are exempted from this requirement.

     (18) Mechanical stackers and unstackers shall have all gears, sprockets and chains exposed to the contact of workers, fully enclosed by guards as required by WAC 296-78-710 of this chapter.

     (19) Manually operated control switches shall be properly identified and so located as to be readily accessible to the operator. Main control switches shall be so designed that they can be locked in the open position.

     (20) Employees shall not stand or walk under loads being lifted or moved. Means shall be provided to positively block the hoisting platform when employees must go beneath the stacker or unstacker hoist.

     (21) No person shall ride any lift truck or lumber carrier unless a suitable seat is provided, except for training purposes.

     (22) Unstacking machines shall be provided with a stopping device which shall at all times be accessible to at least one employee working on the machine.

     (23) Floor of unstacker shall be kept free of broken stickers and other debris. A bin or frame shall be provided to allow for an orderly storage of stickers.

     (24) Drags or other approved devices shall be provided to prevent lumber from running down on graders.

     (25) Liquified petroleum gas storage and handling. Storage and handling of liquified petroleum gas shall be in accordance with the requirements of WAC 296-24-475 through296-24-47517 of the general safety and health standards.

     (26) Flammable liquids. Flammable liquids shall be stored and handled in accordance with WAC 296-24-330 through296-24-33019 of the general safety and health standards.

     (27) Guarding side openings. The hoistway side openings at the top level of the stacker and unstacker shall be protected by enclosures of standard railings.

     (28) Guarding hoistway openings. When the hoist platform or top of the load is below the working platform, the hoistway openings shall be guarded.

     (29) Guarding lower landing area. The lower landing area of stackers and unstackers shall be guarded by enclosures that prevent entrance to the area or pit below the hoist platform. Entrances should be protected by electrically interlocked gates which, when open, will disconnect the power and set the hoist brakes. When the interlock is not installed, other positive means of protecting the entrance shall be provided.

     (30) Lumber lifting devices. Lumber lifting devices on all stackers shall be designed and arranged so as to minimize the possibility of lumber falling from such devices.

     (31) Inspection. At the start of each work shift, equipment operators shall inspect the equipment they will use for evidence of failure or incipient failure. Equipment found to have defects which might affect the operating safety shall not be used until the defects are corrected.

     (32) Cleaning pits. Safe means of entrance and exit shall be provided to permit cleaning of pits.

     (33) Preventing entry to hazardous area. Where the return of trucks from unstacker to stacker is by mechanical power or gravity, adequate signs, warning devices, or barriers shall be erected to prevent entry into the hazardous area.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 07-03-163, § 296-78-835, filed 1/24/07, effective 4/1/07; 06-05-027, § 296-78-835, filed 2/7/06, effective 4/1/06; 03-06-076, § 296-78-835, filed 3/4/03, effective 8/1/03. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 96-17-056, § 296-78-835, filed 8/20/96, effective 10/15/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, 49.17.050 and 49.17.240. 81-18-029 (Order 81-21), § 296-78-835, filed 8/27/81.]