Home
Standards
Glossary
User Guide
Logging Advisor
Text from the OSHA Standard Amendment issued September 8, 1995 in the Federal Register Text from the OSHA Logging Standard Amendment issued September 8, 1995 in the Federal Register

Paragraph (d)(1)(iii) -- Gloves

The final rule specified that all loggers who handle wire rope must wear cotton gloves or other hand protection that the employer demonstrates provides equivalent protection. The proposed rule would have required employees to wear heavy-duty puncture resistant gloves such as leather. Many commenters said that such gloves would pose additional hazards and urged OSHA to permit employees to wear cotton gloves (Ex. 5-17, 5-29, 5-54, 5-74 through 5-92; Tr. OR 104). They said that during winching leather gloves would not tear away when caught on a "jagger" (i.e., broken wires of a wire rope) and would forcibly pull the logger's hand. This could result in a more severe laceration of the hand, or could cause the employee to be dragged into the machinery or to fall. Thus, they said the leather glove could turn a minor injury into a more serious injury. Based on this, in the final rule OSHA specified that cotton gloves must be worn.

OSHA is correcting the final rule to indicate that it was not the Agency's intention, in specifying cotton gloves, that employees be permitted to have their hands on wire rope when winching is started or underway. OSHA emphasizes that employees are not permitted to be handling the winching line when the yarding machine is in operation. The final rule requires that they must be clear of the choked log before the yarding machine operator begins to winch the choked trees. Paragraph (h)(5)(i) of the final rule clearly requires that before any log is moved that employees must be in the clear. In addition, paragraph (h)(5)(v) requires that employees who assist with yarding (i.e., choking logs) must signal the machine operator that they are in the clear and the machine operator must not begin winching the load until he has clearly understood the received signal that other employees are in the clear (paragraph (h)(5)(v)). OSHA included these requirements because employees have been injured where logs being winched hit obstacles, causing them to swing suddenly and strike an employee (Ex. 2-1, 4-63, 4-64).

OSHA is making clear in the revised provision what hazards hand protection are intended to address -- puncture wounds, cuts and lacerations that could occur from handling wire rope, especially rope with broken wires. Employers are free to use cotton gloves, provided they adequately address the hazards of handling wire rope. Employers are also free to use rubber gloves with cotton liners or leather gloves that protect employees from the hazards associated with handling wire rope as well as from extreme environmental conditions.  

*   *   *


Back Back

tracking image