Labor & Industries (L&I), Washington State

Machine Safety Chapter 296-806, WAC

Effective Date: 01/01/05

WAC 296-806-415 Compactors

For printing

In addition to the requirements in this section, you need to refer to the following sections of this chapter in order to fully protect your employees from machine hazards: – Requirements for All Machines, WAC 296-806-200 and WAC 296-806-300

 

This section applies to all stationary compactors in your workplace.

Your Responsibility

To protect employees from hazards associated with stationary compactors

You must

Safeguard hazardous moving parts of stationary compactors	WAC 296-806-41502
Follow these requirements for compactor controls	WAC 296-806-41504
Follow these requirements for compactor access doors and covers	WAC 296-806-41506
Follow these requirements for compactors that cycle automatically	WAC 296-806-41508

 

WAC 296-806-41502

Safeguard hazardous moving parts of stationary compactors

You must

• Prevent the compactor from operating while employees have any body parts in the compactor or hazard area.
• Provide a safeguarding method that prevents employees from putting hands, fingers, or any body part into the compactor during operation.

Note: Examples of safeguarding methods include: Making sure the compactor won't compact material while the gate or door is open. Installing a guard, loading hopper, or enclosure at least 42 inches high that prevents: – Entry of hands, fingers, or any body part into the loading chamber during operation. – An operator from being caught between moving parts of the equipment and material. – The creation of any hazard between the guard and moving parts. You may also provide sustained manual pressure controls located so the operator can't reach, but can still see, the point of operation if a guard isn't used.

Reference: For additional requirements, when adjusting or clearing jams from compactors, see Lockout/Tagout (Control of Hazardous Energy), Chapter 296-803 WAC.

WAC 296-806-41504

Follow these requirements for compactor controls

You must

• Follow these requirements for compactor controls:
  • - Each control must have its function clearly labeled.
  • - Controls must be designed and located to prevent them from unintentionally activating.
  • – Electric stop buttons, including emergency stop buttons, must be:
    • Red in color, distinguishable from all other controls by size, and not recessed.
  • – Emergency stop controls must be either:
    • Readily accessible to the operator
      or
    • Located within 3 feet (91.4 cm) of the point of operation or feed area or if chute fed, within 3 feet (91.4 cm) of the access door.
    • An electrical disconnect must be located within sight, no more than 50 feet (1,524 cm), from the operating control panel.

WAC 296-806-41506

Follow these requirements for compactor access doors and covers

You must

• Make sure access covers meet at least one of the following:
  • – Interlocked
  • – Secured by a lockable device
  • – Removable by hand tools only
• Make sure any loading chamber access door has an interlock system that prevents cycling motion when the door is open.

WAC 296-806-41508

Follow these requirements for compactors that cycle automatically

You must

• Use automatic cycling controls only on compactors where the loading chamber is located so that it can't be accessed during operation.