[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 8]
[Revised as of July 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1926.303]
[Page 229-230]
TITLE 29--LABOR
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR
PART 1926_SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION--Table of Contents
Subpart I_Tools_Hand and Power
Sec. 1926.303 Abrasive wheels and tools.
(a) Power. All grinding machines shall be supplied with sufficient
power to maintain the spindle speed at safe levels under all conditions
of normal operation.
(b) Guarding. (1) Grinding machines shall be equipped with safety
guards in conformance with the requirements of American National
Standards Institute, B7.1-1970, Safety Code for the Use, Care and
Protection of Abrasive Wheels, and paragraph (d) of this section.
(2) Guard design. The safety guard shall cover the spindle end, nut,
and flange projections. The safety guard shall be mounted so as to
maintain proper alignment with the wheel, and the strength of the
fastenings shall exceed the strength of the guard, except:
(i) Safety guards on all operations where the work provides a
suitable measure of protection to the operator, may be so constructed
that the spindle end, nut, and outer flange are exposed; and where the
nature of the work is such as to entirely cover the side of the wheel,
the side covers of the guard may be omitted; and
(ii) The spindle end, nut, and outer flange may be exposed on
machines designed as portable saws.
(c) Use of abrasive wheels. (1) Floor stand and bench mounted
abrasive wheels, used for external grinding, shall be provided with
safety guards (protection hoods). The maximum angular exposure of the
grinding wheel periphery and sides shall be not more than 90[deg],
except that when work requires contact with the wheel below the
horizontal plane of the spindle, the angular exposure shall not exceed
125[deg]. In either case, the exposure shall begin not more than 65[deg]
above the horizontal plane of the spindle. Safety guards shall be strong
enough to withstand the effect of a bursting wheel.
(2) Floor and bench-mounted grinders shall be provided with work
rests which are rigidly supported and readily adjustable. Such work
rests shall be kept at a distance not to exceed one-eighth inch from the
surface of the wheel.
(3) Cup type wheels used for external grinding shall be protected by
either a revolving cup guard or a band type guard in accordance with the
provisions of the American National Standards Institute, B7.1-1970
Safety Code for the Use, Care, and Protection of Abrasive Wheels. All
other portable abrasive wheels used for external grinding, shall be
provided with safety guards (protection hoods) meeting the requirements
of paragraph (c)(5) of this section, except as follows:
(i) When the work location makes it impossible, a wheel equipped
with safety flanges, as described in paragraph (c)(6) of this section,
shall be used;
(ii) When wheels 2 inches or less in diameter which are securely
mounted on the end of a steel mandrel are used.
(4) Portable abrasive wheels used for internal grinding shall be
provided with safety flanges (protection flanges) meeting the
requirements of paragraph (c)(6) of this section, except as follows:
(i) When wheels 2 inches or less in diameter which are securely
mounted on the end of a steel mandrel are used;
(ii) If the wheel is entirely within the work being ground while in
use.
(5) When safety guards are required, they shall be so mounted as to
maintain proper alignment with the wheel, and the guard and its
fastenings shall be of sufficient strength to retain fragments of the
wheel in case of accidental breakage. The maximum angular exposure of
the grinding wheel periphery and sides shall not exceed 180[deg].
(6) When safety flanges are required, they shall be used only with
wheels designed to fit the flanges. Only safety flanges, of a type and
design and properly assembled so as to ensure that the pieces of the
wheel will be retained in case of accidental breakage, shall be used.
(7) All abrasive wheels shall be closely inspected and ring-tested
before
[[Page 230]]
mounting to ensure that they are free from cracks or defects.
(8) Grinding wheels shall fit freely on the spindle and shall not be
forced on. The spindle nut shall be tightened only enough to hold the
wheel in place.
(9) All employees using abrasive wheels shall be protected by eye
protection equipment in accordance with the requirements of subpart E of
this part, except when adequate eye protection is afforded by eye
shields which are permanently attached to the bench or floor stand.
(d) Other requirements. All abrasive wheels and tools used by
employees shall meet other applicable requirements of American National
Standards Institute, B7.1-1970, Safety Code for the Use, Care and
Protection of Abrasive Wheels.
(e) Work rests. On offhand grinding machines, work rests shall be
used to support the work. They shall be of rigid construction and
designed to be adjustable to compensate for wheel wear. Work rests shall
be kept adjusted closely to the wheel with a maximum opening of \1/8\
inch (0.3175 cm) to prevent the work from being jammed between the wheel
and the rest, which may cause wheel breakage. The work rest shall be
securely clamped after each adjustment. The adjustment shall not be made
with the wheel in motion.
[44 FR 8577, Feb. 9, 1979; 44 FR 20940, Apr. 6, 1979, as amended at 58
FR 35175, June 30, 1993]
