[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 5]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1910.123]

[Page 411]
 
                             TITLE 29--LABOR

 
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 

                                OF LABOR

 
PART 1910_OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS--Table of Contents

 
                      Subpart H_Hazardous Materials

 
Sec. 1910.123  Dipping and coating operations: Coverage and definitions.


    (a) Does this rule apply to me? (1) This rule (Sec. Sec. 1910.123 

through 1910.126) applies when you use a dip tank containing a liquid 

other than water. It applies when you use the liquid in the tank or its 

vapor to:

    (i) Clean an object;

    (ii) Coat an object;

    (iii) Alter the surface of an object; or

    (iv) Change the character of an object.

    (2) This rule also applies to the draining or drying of an object 

you have dipped or coated.

    (b) What operations are covered? Examples of covered operations are 

paint dipping, electroplating, pickling, quenching, tanning, degreasing, 

stripping, cleaning, roll coating, flow coating, and curtain coating.

    (c) What operations are not covered? You are not covered by this 

rule if your dip-tank operation only uses a molten material (a molten 

metal, alloy, or salt, for example).

    (d) How are terms used in Sec. Sec. 1910.123 through 1910.126 

defined?

    Adjacent area means any area within 20 feet (6.1 m) of a vapor area 

that is not separated from the vapor area by tight partitions.

    Approved means that the equipment so designated is listed or 

approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, as defined by 

Sec. 1910.7.

    Autoignition temperature means the minimum temperature required to 

cause self-sustained combustion, independent of any other source of 

heat.

    Combustible liquid means a liquid having a flash point of 100 [deg]F 

(37.8 [deg]C) or above.

    Dip tank means a container holding a liquid other than water and 

that is used for dipping or coating. An object may be immersed (or 

partially immersed) in a dip tank or it may be suspended in a vapor 

coming from the tank.

    Flammable liquid means a liquid having a flashpoint below 100 [deg]F 

(37.8 [deg]C).

    Flashpoint means the minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off 

a vapor in sufficient concentration to ignite if tested in accordance 

with the definition of ``flashpoint'' in Sec. 1910.1200(c).

    Lower flammable limit (LFL) means the lowest concentration of a 

material that will propagate a flame. The LFL is usually expressed as a 

percent by volume of the material in air (or other oxidant).

    Vapor area means any space containing a dip tank, including its 

drain boards, associated drying or conveying equipment, and any 

surrounding area where the vapor concentration exceeds 25% of the LFL of 

the liquid in the tank.

    You means the employer, as defined by the Occupational Safety and 

Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.).