Text from
the OSHA Logging Standard Amendment issued September 8, 1995 in the Federal RegisterParagraph
(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.
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