Labor & Industries (L&I), Washington State

Machine Safety Chapter 296-806, WAC

Effective Date: 01/01/05

WAC 296-806-425 Food Processing Equipment

For printing

WAC 296-806-42548

Follow these requirements for traveling or track-type flour scales

You must

• Provide bar handles for the moving of traveling or track-type flour scales.

Note: For easier grip, the bar should be at least one inch in diameter.

You must

• Guard trolley track wheels.

WAC 296-806-42550

Follow these requirements for food grinders and cutters

You must

• Make sure that food grinders and cutters:
  • – Have an interlock so machines with removable hoppers can't be operated when the hopper is removed.
  • – Limit access to hoppers where grid guards can't be used by providing feed conveyors or baffle-type hoppers. Hoppers must be both:
    • Enclosed and provided with hinged covers
      and
    • Equipped with an electric interlock so the machine won't operate with the cover open.

 

WAC 296-806-42552

Provide covers with interlocks on ingredient premixers, emulsifiers, and similar machines

You must

• Provide covers that attach to machines that have top openings.

Note: The covers should be arranged and interlocked so that power to the machine is shut off when the cover is opened far enough for the operator’s fingers to come in contact with the beaters.

WAC 296-806-42554

Follow these requirements for open fat kettles

You must

1) Keep the floor around kettles in non-slip condition.

2) Make sure the top of the kettle is at least 36 inches above the floor or working level.

 

WAC 296-806-42556

Follow these requirements for steam kettles

You must

1) Provide positive locking devices to hold kettles in the desired position.

2) Provide safety devices for steam kettles according to:

• The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Pressure Vessel Code, section VIII, division I, Unfired Pressure Vessels, 2001, Kettles with Steam Jackets.

WAC 296-806-42558

Follow these requirements for chocolate melting, refining, and mixing kettles

You must

1) Provide a cover to enclose the top of the kettle.

2) Make sure the bottom outlet of each kettle is designed so the operator can't:

• Reach in to touch the revolving paddle
• Come in contact with the shear point between the paddle and the side of the kettle

WAC 296-806-42560

Safeguard meat-processing equipment (circular meat-cutting saws)

Exempt: These requirements don't apply to table-top slicers such as those used in delis and restaurants.

Reference: When bandsaws are used to cut meat, follow the requirements in Make sure bandsaws meet these requirements, WAC 296-806-48042.

You must

1) Make sure all circular meat cutting saws have both:

• Constant pressure controls
  and
• A brake that automatically begins to stop the blade when the switch is released

2) Make sure each circular meat-cutting saw has a protective guard between the operator and the blade.

3) Provide suspended, counterbalanced circular meat-cutting saws with guards that cover at least one of the following:

• 25 degrees of the blade if the saw has two-hand controls
  or
• 90 degrees of the blade if the saw can be operated with one hand

4) Provide saws that aren't suspended with a guard that covers 90 degrees of the blade.

Note: The size of the guard depends on whether it's suspended or has one- or two-handed controls.

WAC 296-806-42562

Follow these requirements for horizontal dough mixers

You must

1) Make sure mixers are equipped with both of the following:

• An individual motor and control
  and
• A conveniently located manual switch that prevents the mixer from being started during servicing or cleaning.

2) Locate electrical control stations so control operators have a full view of bowls in the “open” position.

• These controls, other than a “stop” switch, must not be duplicated.

3) Provide mixers with a full enclosure over the bowl that remains closed whenever the agitator is in motion.

• Minor openings in the enclosure during operation, such as ingredient doors and flour inlets, must each be less than 1½ square feet in area.

Exemption: The full enclosure doesn't have to remain closed if the mixer has a dumping arrangement that provides safety devices where operators must use both hands in either of these situations: – When the agitator is in motion under power and the bowl is open more than 1/5 of its total opening or – When starting the agitator, if the bowl is open more than 1/5 of its total opening

You must

4) Make sure overhead covers or doors that can accidentally close are either:

• Counterbalanced to remain in the “open” position
  or
• Provided with a catch, brace, or other positive means to hold them open until the operator releases them.

5) Locate valves and controls that regulate the coolant in mixer jackets so they can be accessed without creating hazards to the operator.

 

WAC 296-806-42564

Follow these requirements for vertical mixers

You must

1) Provide a safeguarding device to protect employees from the point of operation, if the nature of the work exposes them to contact with:

• The pinch point where the mixing tool meets the bowl
• The catching hazard of the mixing tool

Note: When evaluating exposure, the following conditions need to be considered: - How the mixer functions such as visibility of the agitator or ability to accidentally switch the mixer on. - How the worker performs operations such as adding ingredients without scraping the bowl or reaching into the bowl when the mixer is in motion. - How close the worker gets to the hazard during operation. - The worker’s tools, clothing, jewelry, or hair that might get caught or fall into mixer - Type of guarding, if any - Slipping or tripping hazards in the area.

You must

2) Make sure mixers are equipped with both of the following:

• An individual motor and control
  and
• A conveniently located manual switch that prevents the mixer from being started during servicing or cleaning.

3) Make sure overhead panels or doors on mixers that can accidentally close are either:

• Counterbalanced to remain in an open position
  or
• Provided with catches, braces, or other positive means to hold them open until the operator releases them.

4) Make sure bowl-locking devices are the type that must be intentionally unlocked by the operator.

5) Provide devices for moving filled bowls that weigh more than 80 pounds in and out of the mixing position on the machine.

 

WAC 296-806-42566

Follow these requirements for mechanical-feed moulders

You must

• Make sure hoppers for mechanical-feed moulders are designed and connected to the proofer so employee’s hands can't contact the in-running rolls.

WAC 296-806-42568

Follow these requirements for hand-fed moulders

You must

1) Provide hand-fed moulders with either of the following, so employee’s hands can't enter the hopper and contact in-running rolls:

• A hopper that can be extended high enough to protect the employee
• – The top edge of the hopper needs to be well rounded to prevent injury when struck or bumped by an employee’s hand
  or
• – A belt feed device

2) Provide each of these workers with a stopping device that can be easily reached:

• The operator feeding the moulder
• The employee taking the dough away from the moulder.

WAC 296-806-42570

Design, install, and construct your ovens according to these requirements

You must

• Make sure all ovens manufactured or installed before August 13, 1999 meet or exceed ANSI Z50.1-1947 design, manufacturing, and installation requirements.
• Make sure all ovens manufactured or installed on or after August 13, 1999 meet the design, manufacturing, and installation requirements in ANSI/NFPA 86-1999.

WAC 296-806-42572

Properly locate emergency “stop” buttons and main shut-off valves for ovens

You must

1) Locate emergency stop buttons on mechanical ovens close to where operators are stationed.

2) Locate main shutoff valves where they can be accessed in case of an emergency.

• Main shutoff valves that permit turning off the fuel or steam in case of an emergency must operate independently of any automatic valves.

WAC 296-806-42574

Inspect and test safety devices on ovens

You must

1) Inspect ovens at least twice a month by a formally appointed, properly trained, bakery employee.

• Include the following in your inspection:
• – All safety devices
• – Testing of all safety shutoff valves, making sure they are positively tight

2) Make sure a representative of the oven manufacturer performs an annual inspection.

3) Test all piping on ovens to make sure they are gas tight.

4) Test oven systems as follows;

• Test duct systems on indirect recirculating ovens that operate under pressure for tightness at the following intervals:
• – When the oven is first started
• – At least every 6 months after that

WAC 296-806-42576

Follow these requirements for peanut-cooling trucks

You must

• Make sure the entire top of the peanut-cooling truck has a grid-type cover.

WAC 296-806-42578

Follow these requirements for pretzel rolling, pretzel stick extruding, rotary, and die machines

You must

• Protect the operator’s hands from getting caught in moving parts by doing at least one of the following:
  • – Cover the entire opening of dough hoppers with grid-type guards
  • – Extend the hopper higher

WAC 296-806-42580

Safeguard box and roll-type dough sheeters

You must

1) Guard exposed rolls with either of these methods:

• Guard the nip point of exposed sheeting rolls at the point where the dough enters the rolls
  or
• Provide an emergency “stop” bar that extends the length of unguarded rolls that will stop the rolls on contact with the operator, if a barrier guard interferes with machine operation.

2) Provide a stopping device for hoppers.

• Provide an automatic “stop” bar or stopping device along the back edge of the hopper.
• – If machine construction doesn't allow for this, place the bar or device where it will be most effective.

WAC 296-806-42582

Provide proper enclosures for sifters

You must

• Make sure enclosures on flour sifters:
  • – Are dust-tight
  • – Allow for ease of interior inspection

WAC 296-806-42584

Follow these requirements for sugar and spice pulverizers

You must

1) Remove static electricity by grounding all drive belts used in sugar and spice pulverizers by using metal combs.

2) Follow the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 61-1999, Standard for Pulverizing Sugar and Spice Grinding, in order to prevent fires and dust explosions in agricultural and food products facilities.

3) Provide magnetic separators to reduce fire and explosion hazards.