Washington Administrative Code › Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of › Chapter 296-155 - Safety standards for construction work › Part G - TOOLS - HAND AND POWER › Section 296-155-370 - Woodworking tools

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) You must not
				operate any saw in excess of the manufacturers recommended speed.
(2)
Guarding.
All portable, hand
				held power-driven circular saws must be equipped with guards above and below
				the base plate or shoe. The upper guard must cover the saw to the depth of the
				teeth, except for the minimum arc required to permit the base to be tilted for
				bevel cuts. The lower guard must cover the saw to the depth of the teeth,
				except for the minimum arc required to allow proper retraction and contact with
				the work. When the tool is withdrawn from the work, the lower guard must
				automatically and instantly return to the covering position.
(3)
Hand-fed table saws.
(a) Each circular hand-fed table saw must be
				provided with a hood-type guard that will cover the blade at all times when the
				blade is not in use. This may be accomplished by the use of a guard that will
				automatically adjust to the thickness of the material being cut, or by a fixed
				or manually adjusted guard. If a fixed or manually adjusted guard is used, the
				space between the bottom of the guard and the material being cut must not
				exceed 3/8 inch if 1-1/2 inches or more from the blade, and 1/4 inch if closer
				than 1-1/2 inches.
(b) When the
				blade is in use, the hood-type guard must enclose that portion of the blade
				above the material.
(c) Hood-type
				guards must be so designed and constructed as to resist blows and strains
				incidental to reasonable operation, adjusting, and handling, in order to
				protect the operator from flying splinters and broken saw teeth.
(d) The hood must be so mounted as to ensure
				that its operation will be positive, reliable, and in alignment with the saw.
				The mounting must be adequate to resist any reasonable side thrust or other
				force that would disrupt alignment.
(e) Where a hood-type guard cannot be used
				because of unusual shapes or cuts, you must use a jig or fixture that will
				provide equal safety for the operator. On the completion of such operations,
				you must immediately replace the guard.
(f) You must use a push stick on short or
				narrow stock when there is a possibility of the hand contacting the cutting
				tool.
(g) Each hand-fed circular
				ripsaw must be equipped with a spreader to minimize the possibility of material
				squeezing the saw or of material kickbacks. The spreader must be made of
				tempered steel, or its equivalent, and must be slightly thinner than the saw
				kerf. It must be of sufficient width to provide adequate stiffness or rigidity
				to resist any reasonable side thrust or blow tending to bend or throw it out of
				position. The spreader must be attached so that it will remain in true
				alignment with the blade, even when either the saw or table is tilted, and
				should be placed so that there is not more than 1/2-inch space between the
				spreader and the back of the blade when the recommended saw blade is in its
				maximum "up" position. If a blade smaller than the maximum permissible size is
				used, you must move the spreader to within 1/2 inch of the blade. The provision
				of a spreader in connection with grooving, dadoing, or rabbeting is not
				required. On the completion of such operations, you must immediately replace
				the spreader.
(h) Each hand-fed
				circular ripsaw must be provided with antikickback devices so located as to
				oppose the thrust or tendency of the saw blade to pick up the material or throw
				it back toward the operator. These devices must be designed to provide holding
				power for all the thicknesses of material being cut.