Does "Subpart I - Tools - Hand and Power" Apply to You?
Subpart I provides the general requirements for using hand and power tools. Do your employees use hand and power tools? If yes, then you need to comply with the general requirements standard. It provides requirements for the condition of tools, guarding, point of operation guarding, exposure of blades, anchoring fixed machinery, guarding of abrasive wheel machinery, bench and floor stands, cylindrical grinders, personal protective equipment, and on-off switches. It also states that personal protective equipment must meet the requirements of the subpart on personal protective and life saving equipment.
- Types of guarding - One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks. Examples of guarding methods include barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, and electronic safety devices.
- Point of operation - The area on a machine where work is actually performed upon the material being processed.
Subpart I also includes standards specific to the use of hand tools, power-operated hand tools, abrasive wheels and tools, woodworking tools, jacks (lever and ratchet, screw and hydraulic), air receivers, and mechanical power-transmission apparatus. Most employers use hand and power tools and will need to comply with many of the standards in this subpart in addition to the general requirements standard. To identify which other standards apply to you, click on the tabs below.
Subpart I - Tools - Hand and power
If yes, then you need to comply with the standard on hand tools. This standard includes requirements for not allowing the use of:
- Unsafe hand tools
- Wrenches with sprung jaws
- Impact tools with mushroomed heads
- Cracked tool handles
- Splintered tool handles
More related information can be found on the A-Z safety and health topics page for personal protective equipment, amputations and hand and portable powered tools.
If yes, then you need to comply with the standard on power-operated hand tools. This standard provides additional requirements related to electric power-operated tools (also reference the subpart on electrical), pneumatic power tools (i.e., abrasive blast cleaning nozzles), fuel powered tools (also reference the subpart on fire protection and prevention), hydraulic power tools, powder-actuated tools (also reference subpart on personal protective and life saving equipment).
More related information can be found on the A-Z safety and health topics page for personal protective equipment, amputations and hand and portable powered tools.
If yes, then you need to comply with the standard on abrasive wheels and tools. This standard provides the requirements regarding power, guarding, use of abrasive wheels (i.e., inspections, ring tests), work rests, and complying with ANSI standards.
The NCDOL Library is available for assistance regarding access to consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, ASME, NFPA, IEEE). In addition, more related information can be found on the A-Z safety and health topics pages for abrasive wheels, personal protective equipment, amputations and hand and portable powered tools.
If yes, then you need to comply with the standard on woodworking tools. This standard provides the requirements for disconnect switches, operating speed, self-feeds, guarding, personal protective equipment, and complying with ANSI standards. It also provides specific requirements for radial saws, hand-fed crossed table saws, and hand-fed ripsaws. It also states that personal protective equipment must meet the requirements of the subpart on personal protective and life saving equipment.
The NCDOL Library is available for assistance regarding access to consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, ASME, NFPA, IEEE). In addition, more related information can be found on the A-Z safety and health topics pages for personal protective equipment, amputations and hand and portable powered tools.
If yes, then you need to comply with the standard on jacks - lever and ratchet, screw, or hydraulic jacks. This standard provides general requirements for the use of jacks including legibly marked with rated capacity and having a positive stop. It also includes requirements for blocking, operation and maintenance (i.e., tagging, lubrication, repair, inspections).
If yes, then you need to comply with the standard on air receivers. This standard applies to compressed air receivers, and other equipment used in providing and utilizing compressed air for performing operations such as cleaning, drilling, hoisting, and chipping. Note: This standard does not deal with the special problems created by using compressed air to convey materials nor the problems created when men work in compressed air as in tunnels and caissons. It also does not apply to compressed air machinery and equipment used on transportation vehicles such as steam railroad cars, electric railway cars, and automotive equipment.
This standard provides the requirements for installation and equipment requirements including drains and traps, and gages and valves (i.e., safety appliances, testing). It also references consensus standards.
The NCDOL Library is available for assistance regarding access to consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, ASME, NFPA, IEEE).
Mechanical power transmission apparatus includes all components of the mechanical system which transmit energy to the part of the machine performing the work. These components include flywheels, pulleys, belts, connecting rods, couplings, cams, spindles, chains, cranks, and gears.
Do you have components such as flywheels, pulleys, belts, connecting rods, couplings, cams, spindles, chains, cranks, and gears? If yes, then you need to comply with the standard on mechanical power-transmission apparatus.
This standard provides the requirements pertaining to the principal features for power transmission safeguards and all types and shapes of power-transmission belts, except the following when operating at two hundred and fifty feet per minute or less:
- Flat belts 1 inch or less in width;
- Flat belts 2 inches or less in width which are free from metal lacings or fasteners;
- Round belts 1/2 inch or less in diameter; and
- Single strand V-belts, the width of which is thirteen thirty-seconds (13/32) inches or less.
It provides requirements for:
- Prime-mover guards (i.e., flywheels, cranks, connecting rods, tail rods, extension piston rods);
- Shafting (i.e., guarding, basement locations, ANSI requirements);
- Pulleys (i.e., guarding, location of pulleys, broken pulleys, pulley speeds);
- Belt, rope and chain drives (i.e., horizontal belts and ropes, overhead horizontal belts, vertical and inclined belts, cone-pulley belts, belt tighteners);
- Gears, sprockets and chains (i.e., openings for oiling, enclosures, guarding);
- Friction drives;
- Keys, setscrews and other projections; collars and couplings;
- Bearings and facilities for oiling;
- Guarding of clutches, cutoff couplings, and clutch pulleys (i.e., guards, engine rooms);
- Belt shifters, clutches, shippers, poles, perches, and fasteners;
- Standard guards - general requirements (i.e., materials, burrs, methods of manufacturer);
- Approved materials (i.e., dimensions, wood guards, horizontal overhead belts, reinforcement, guardrails, toeboards);
- Care of equipment (i.e., shafting, bearings, hangers, pulleys, care of belts, inspections, lubrication).
The NCDOL Library is available for assistance regarding access to consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, ASME, NFPA, IEEE). In addition, more related information can be found on the A-Z safety and health topics pages for personal protective equipment, amputations and machine guarding.