Textiles

What are the hazards associated with Textiles?

Lack of machine guarding can result in serious physical injury (e.g., broken bones and amputation of fingers), and even death, to employees. The lack of personal protective equipment or the use of inappropriate personal protective equipment can result in serious injury, illness or death when engineering and administrative controls have not been (fully) implemented to eliminate or reduce exposure to a particular hazard. 

Loud noise can create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, interfere with communication and concentration, and contribute to workplace accidents and injuries by making it difficult to hear warning signals.

Failure to implement and observe lockout/tagout procedures can result in serious bodily injury (e.g., amputation, electrical burns) and death as a result of the unexpected energization or start up of the machines or equipment, or release of stored energy.

What can I do to protect myself?

Employers are required to ensure that employees have been trained and have the proper equipment to prevent falls. Employees need to use the personal protective equipment provided for the varying job tasks.

Before using any chemical, information on the label and accompanying information (e.g., safety data sheets) should be consulted in order to identify any personal protective equipment necessary to prevent direct contact through inhalation, splash or spatter to eyes, nose or mouth, or skin contact.

Never reach into the pinch points of a moving belt, chain or gears to retrieve an item. Be sure to follow lockout/tagout procedures when it becomes necessary to clear a jam or to remove machine guards to perform repair or maintenance. Be sure not to wear loose clothing when working in close proximity to moving machinery parts. Employees who are authorized to service and perform maintenance on equipment should always ensure that the equipment has been locked out or tagged out in accordance with established procedures before beginning work. 

Employers are required to implement a hearing conservation program when employees are exposed to noise at a level equivalent to 85 decibels as an 8-hour time-weighted average. This includes initial and annual audiometric testing to enable hearing loss to be identified early and to monitor the effectiveness of the employer's program.

What resources are available to assist employers?

Safety and Health Programs

The electrical safety-related work practices policy, lockout/tagout program, hazard communication, and hearing conservation can be downloaded and customized to fit the individual workplace. An example PPE hazard assessment is available and can be customized to fit workplace conditions. Employers are required to perform a workplace hazard analysis to determine what personal protective equipment is necessary to protect employees from continued exposure to identified hazards. Other example safety and health programs are available for employers to download and adapt to their specific conditions.

Training and Outreach Services

The lockout/tagout, personal protective equipment, electrical safety, hazard communication, machine guarding and hearing conservation presentations are available to assist employers in training their staff. Other example presentations are available along with pre-recorded webinars which can be accessed at any time. 

In addition, the education, training and technical assistance bureau provides free online safety and health training and outreach services (i.e., speaker's bureau requests, safety booths) upon request. 

Lastly, the NCDOL Library offers free safety and health videos (including streaming video services) and related research assistance on consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, NFPA, NEC).

Safety and Health Topics

Other related resources can be found on safety and health topic pages for lockout/tagout, electrical safety, machine guarding, hand and portable powered tools, hazard communication, noise, flammable liquids, formaldehyde, illumination and personal protective equipment for more information.

Consultation Services

The consultative services bureau provides free and confidential onsite consultation regarding worksite safety and health hazards.

Which standards apply?

OSH has adopted the following standards which are applicable to textiles in North Carolina. This is not all inclusive.

Note: Please also check the standards information and activity webpage to see if there has been any recent or upcoming regulatory activity on this topic.

General Industry

• 29 CFR 1910.262 - textiles

Other Related General Industry Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.22 - walking - working surfaces, general requirements
• 29 CFR 1910.37 - maintenance, safeguards, and operational features for exit routes
• 29 CFR 1910.95 - occupational noise exposure
• 29 CFR 1910.106 - flammable liquids
• 29 CFR 1910.145 - specifications for accident prevention signs and tags
• 29 CFR 1910.147 - the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)
• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I - personal protective equipment
  • 29 CFR 1910.132 - general requirements
  • 29 CFR 1910.133 - eye and face protection
  • 29 CFR 1910.135 - head protection
  • 29 CFR 1910.136 - foot protection
  • 29 CFR 1910.138 - hand protection
• 29 CFR 1910.141 – sanitation
• 29 CFR 1910.176 - handling materials - general
• 29 CFR 1910.212 - machinery and machine guarding, general requirements
• 29 CFR 1910.219 - mechanical power-transmission apparatus
• 29 CFR 1910.242 - hand and portable powered tools and equipment, general
• 29 CFR 1910.243 - guarding of portable powered tools.
• 29 CFR 1910.244 - other portable tools and equipment
• 29 CFR 1910.332 - electrical, training
• 29 CFR 1910.333 - electrical, selection and use of work practices
• 29 CFR 1910.334 - electrical, use of equipment
• 29 CFR 1910.335 - electrical, safeguards for personnel protection
• 29 CFR 1910.1000 - air contaminants
• 29 CFR 1910.1043 - cotton dust
• 29 CFR 1910.1048 - formaldehyde
• 29 CFR 1910.1200 - hazard communication

Recordkeeping

• Refer to Recording and Reporting

Other Applicable Standards

The Which OSHA Standards Apply webpage can help identify other standards that may also be applicable to your worksite.

Where can I learn more?

Industry Guides

• Industry Guide 49 - OSHA General Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training, provides requirements for standards related to textiles in general industry.

Compliance Documents

• SN 01 - Textile Machinery, discusses an alternative measure that may be used that will be construed as meeting 29 CFR 1910.262(j) - Textiles, in lieu of the requirement for interlocks on the gear housing covers on all installations of drawing frames, slubbers, roving frames, cotton combers, rind spinning frames, and twisters. 
• SN 26 - Guarding of the Sides of Carding Machines Used in the Textile Industry, discusses the requirements for protecting employees against nip-point motions, gears, and pulleys on the sides of carding machines used in the textile industry. 
• SN 28 - Drying Tumblers, Shakers and Washing Machines Interlocking Devices states the requirement for an interlock device, braking mechanism or time delay to protect employees from possible injury in situations when the cylinder of a tumbler, shaker or washing machine continues to rotate after the power is shut off. 
• CFR 156 - Textiles provides the promulgation of the standard.
• Operational Procedure Notice: OPN 149 - Special Emphasis Program for Amputations establishes the OSH Division's enforcement policy for safety and health inspections where employees may be exposed to amputation hazards on machinery due to lack of guarding and/or failure to utilize energy control procedures.

Technical Assistance

• Inquiries about workplace safety and health requirements can be submitted to Ask OSH online or by phone at 919-707-7876.