#keepworkerssafe

The most frequently asked question I recieve is "Am I even covered by OSHA?" It's not always clear who is and isn't covered by OSHA, and there can even be room for interpretation.

The official text on OSHA.gov states:

"The OSH Act covers most private sector employers and their workers, in addition to some public sector employers and workers in the 50 states and certain territories and jurisdictions under federal authority."

In order to fall under OSHA jurisdiction you must be an employee working in the US or a US territory. There are a number of exceptions however. Private sector employees not covered by OSHA are:

"self-employed workers (independent contractors), immediate family members of farm employers, and workers whose hazards are regulated by another federal agency"

Follow this link to see list of other US regulatory agencies

Federal OSHA also does not cover employees of government agencies, which includes: public schools/universities, public transit agencies, and first responders such and firefighters and law enforcement.

However public sector employees are required to be covered in states that have an OSHA approved state plan. The map below shows which states have their own OSHA plans.

(Source: sixfifty.com)

Whether you're a professional woodworker or just a tool enthusiast, its never a bad idea to brush up on proper tool use and safety practices.

Pictured above are a contractor table saw (Left) and a cabinet maker table saw (Right). Despite their differences, the same standards and safety practices apply to both when hand feeding material.

Guard Requirements:

Blade guards

"Each circular hand-fed rip saw shall be provided with a hood-type guard that will cover the blade at all times when not in use. This may be accomplished by the use of a guard which will automatically adjust to the thickness of the material being cut, or by a fixed or manually adjusted guard" "Each circular hand-fed rip saw shall be provided with a hood-type guard that will cover the blade at all times when not in use. This may be accomplished by the use of a guard which will automatically adjust to the thickness of the material being cut, or by a fixed or manually adjusted guard"

Above is an automatically adjusting hood-type guard which doubles as a dust extraction hood. These protect operators from small debris that may be thrown back during a rip cut such as dust, splinters, loose knots, and foreign materials such as nails. A guard like this required to be in place at all times if the cut being made allows it. The hood may be removed for special cuts that would otherwise be impossible with the hood in place.

Spreaders

"Each hand-fed circular saw shall be equipped with a spreader to minimize the possibility of material squeezing the saw"

Even the slightest horizontal force on a board in the middle of a cut can cause it to kickback at incredible speed. The spreader helps mitigate this hazard by providing a static surface for cut material to slide against.

These standards are established by ANSI O1.1-1961: Safety Code for Woodworking Machinery - Section 6.1 and are incorporated by reference by 29 CFR 1926.304(f).

General Operating Procedures:

Never start the saw if material is touching the blade. The blade needs time to accelerate to operational speed and will kickback anything touching it when it starts up.

Avoid standing behind the space between the blade and the fence. It is much easier for material in this area to kickback into an operator. When possible, it is safest to stand on the left-hand side of the saw blade. Keep a wide stable stance when hand feeding material and avoid bending or leaning as this may lead to falls.

Related to the previous point, always keep a hand/push-stick on the material between the blade and the fence. This where kickback is most likely to occur. Push-sticks should be used if making narrow cuts that could bring an operators hands close to the blade.

Never apply lateral or vertical force to material being cut. Material must only receive force from behind and above to keep it flat on the table top and moving smoothly forward. Be especially aware of this when cutting large sheets of material with a partner.

Use a roller stand or ask for assistance when cutting material that hangs off the edge of the table top. Hanging material may cantilever the rest of the material, causing it to lift off the table top and kickback.

In the picture above, the person in pink in assists the operator in blue. As the operator in blue pushes the sheet through the blade, the assistant keeps their hands on the material, slowly walking along side it. If they were to apply force in any direction (other than to counter gravity) it would almost certainly cause the saw blade to bite into the material and potentially kick it back in to the operator.

The OSHA Technical Manual (OTM) Section 3, Chapter 4 provides technical information that can be used to evaluate heat exposure hazards present in the workplace. These guidelines are meant to be used in tandem with OSHA standards to facilitate safe working conditions for employees.

According to the Heat Stress Calculator on the OSHA website, the scenario you describe is exposing employees to heat stress well beyond allowable limits. This is a violation of the General Duty clause which requires employers to furnish a workplace "free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm". You are protected from retaliation by your employer if you refuse to work in hazardous conditions.

29 CFR 1910.132 establishes:

"Protective equipment shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body"

This anonymous employee was kind enough to allow Inspector 17 to photograph them in their work uniform. The uniform includes a set of blaze orange coveralls and a PFAS (Personal Fall Arrest System)in the form of an AKR (Advanced Knee Replacement).

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i) establishes:

"The employer must ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling"

Inspector 17's report on Aperture Science noted that unprotected edges were only present in "Test Chamber" environments and only test participants (such as the employee pictured above) were exposed to these hazards. The issuing of AKR systems to all test participants successfully negated these falling hazard.

When asked about the employee's lack of foot coverings an Aperture representative insisted test chambers were meticulously cleaned of any refuse that an employee could potentially step on. However OSHA 300 logs indicated that test participants occasionally experienced serious stubbed toes and twisted ankles. Inspector 17 attributed these to the use of concrete in test chamber construction and slippery walking-working surfaces.