1. (a) All freestanding, counter, or sink mounted disposal units shall have the feed throat guarded so that an employee's hand cannot contact the moving parts. (This does not apply to household type garbage disposals of less than one horsepower.) This shall be accomplished by:

   1. (1) The installation of a hood, grate, shield or offset feed throat which will prevent the employee from reaching directly into the shredding chamber, or
   2. (2) Providing that the distance from the floor or work level up over the counter and down into the point of hazard in the grinder is not less than 88 inches, or
   3. (3) The use of an indirect method of feeding the grinder, such as a water wash or a properly guarded mechanical conveyor, or
   4. (4) By the use of other methods which will prevent employees hands from contacting moving parts.

2. (b) When a screw conveyor is used to feed the grinder, the screw shall be guarded so that employees cannot contact any nip point created by the flight of the screw. This shall be accomplished by:

   1. (1) Installing the screw in the bottom of a hopper with sides so arranged that the distance from the floor up over the side of the hopper and down to any nip points created by the flight of the screw is not less than 88 inches, or
   2. (2) Guarding the screw by barrier-type guards which will prevent the employee from contacting the screw and still permit entry of garbage, or

   3. (3) By installing a screw with not less than 2 ¼ inches clearance between the housing structure and the metal screw flight. The intervening space may be occupied by a flexible elastomer sheet extension of the screw flight which reaches to a point not closer than ¼ -inch from the conveyor trough or housing. The flexibility of the elastomer portion shall be such that it cannot entrap an employee's hand or fingers. The speed of screw rotation shall not exceed 5 rpm.

      1. (A) A positive emergency stop control system shall be installed and located so that it may be actuated from any position occupied by the operator to stop screw rotation.

         Note: The emergency stop control may consist of a spring-loaded bar switch or mushroom buttons.

Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.

History

1. New section filed 8-18-77; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 77, No. 34).

2. Amendment filed 5-1-86; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 86, No. 19).