UC-NRLF 
 
 ERKELEY LIBRARY 
 
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 1916 
 DOCS 
 
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 General Order, f^^r ^ 
 
 :^ No. 46. y ^ ' "^ 
 
 Railroad Commission, of the State of California. 
 
 REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE PROTECTION AND GUARDING OF 
 MOVING MACHINERY. POWER TRANSMISSION AND OTHER 
 MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, LADDERS AND STAIRWAYS. PLAT- 
 FORMS, PASSAGES AND OTHER FACILITIES. 
 
 Issued Under Authority of Section 42, Public Utilities Act. 
 Approved May S, 1916. Effective June 1, 1916. 
 
 It is hereby ordered by the Railroad Commission of the State of Cali- 
 fornia that the safety regulations hereinafter prescribed for the protec- 
 tion and guarding of moving machinery, power transmission and other 
 mechanical equipment, ladders and stairways, platforms, doors, windows 
 and floor openings, hoistways and conveyors and other equipment and 
 facilities of like nature, shall hereafter be observed by public utilities in 
 this State unless otherwise authorized or directed by this Commission. 
 
 1. Gears. 
 
 (a) All gears, where exposed to contact, must be entirely enclosed, 
 or equipped with side flanges extending inward beyond the root of the 
 teeth. - ^ 
 
 (b) All spoke gears and open web gears, which are over eighteen (18) 
 inches in diameter, where exposed to contact, must be entirely enclosed. 
 On large gears, such as those on heavy shears and punches, the guard 
 must be such as to cover them to a height of seven (7) feet above the 
 floor. 
 
 (c) "Where it is clearly impracticable to cover gears, as described 
 above, a boxed frame of metal or wood must be installed, completely 
 shutting off the machinery gears. 
 
 (d) All gear guards must be kept in place while the machinery is 
 in operation. 
 
 2. Belts. 
 
 (a) All belts, ropes or chaiil^^v^iljg; machinery or shafting, and all 
 secondar}^ belts, ropes or clpins where e.\j^ge^k44icontact, must be 
 guarded. In all cases the point where the heli,^pli^ncham runs onto 
 the pulley, sheave or sproc^t, if yfmfyi^eren (7) feet/of the floor or 
 platform, must be guarded^ '^/ ^ j 
 
 Exception. — Belts which ar#«.aQ jMttl^]f^Q^I6Ha^^ moving t*it they are not in 
 any way a source of danger. ^^""^■•■Si^*//)' nt ^ I 
 
 24315 ^*"<ii2Wl / 
 
DOCUI/.ENTI 
 OEPT. 
 
 — 2 — 
 
 (&) All horizontal belts, ropes or chains driving machinery or shaft- 
 ing seven (7) feet or less above the floor or platform, where exposed 
 to contact, must be guarded. All overhead belts six (6) inches or more 
 in width and over seven (7) feet from floor or platform, must be guarded 
 underneath and on sides, unless so guarded that persons can not pass 
 under them. All chain or rope drives over seven (7) feet from floor 
 or platform must be guarded in like manner to belts over six (6) inches 
 in width. In all cases the guard should cover the outer faces of the two 
 pulleys or sheaves and extend upward to such a point, and be attached 
 in such a way, that in case the belt, chain or rope breaks, the guard will 
 withstand the whipping force. 
 
 (c) Vertical and inclined belts must be substantially guarded as 
 follows : 
 
 If the guard must be less than fifteen (15) inches from the belt, with 
 a complete enclosure of wood or metal to a height of six (6) feet above 
 the floor. 
 
 If the guard can be placed with at least fifteen (15) inches clearance 
 from the belt, with a two-rail railing at least three and one-half (3^) 
 feet high. 
 
 Note. — In rooms, or parts of rooms, used exclusively for transmission machinery, 
 such as the ground floor of sawmills and the basements of paper mills or flour mills, 
 it has been found practical to define certain passageways for the use of oilers and 
 millwrights, and to guard the pulleys, belts and shafts along these passageways. 
 
 3. Pulleys. 
 
 (a) Pulleys must be so placed as to allow the width of the belt 
 between two pulleys, or between the pulley and the shaft hanger or 
 bearing, or a hook must be provided, or a guard placed adjacent to the 
 pulley to prevent the belt from leaving the pulley. 
 
 (&) All machines must be equipped with a loose pulley or a clutch 
 or some other adequate means of stopping the machine quickly. 
 
 (c) All pulleys or parts of pulleys within seven (7) feet of the floor 
 must be guarded, if exposed to contact. 
 
 4. Clutches. 
 
 (a) All clutches must be completely guarded where exposed. 
 
 Note. — Practically all clutches have protruding parts which malte tliem as 
 dangerous as projecting set screws on shafting. 
 
 5. Belt Shifters. 
 
 (a) A permanent belt shifter must be provided for all loose pulleys, 
 and must be located within easy reach of the operator. The construc- 
 tion of belt shifters must be such as to make it impossible for the belt 
 to creep back onto the tight pulley. All belt shifters must be equipped 
 with a lock or some other device to prevent accidental shifting. 
 
— 3 — 
 
 6. Shafting. 
 
 (a) All transmission shafting, either horizontal or vertical, in work- 
 rooms or in passageways leading to workrooms, and located within seven 
 (7) feet of the floor or platform, must be guarded. 
 
 (h) Dead ends of shafts less than seven (7) feet from the floor or 
 platform, or wherever exposed to contact, must be guarded. 
 
 7. Set Screws. 
 
 (a) All projecting set screws on moving parts must be removed, 
 countersunk or protected by a solid collar, or a headless set screAv must 
 be used. No part of the set screw must project above the surface. 
 
 8. Sprockets. 
 
 (a.) All sprockets must be guarded, if exposed. 
 
 9. Flywheels. 
 
 (This applies to flywheels of machines and not to flywheels of 
 engines, which must be guarded in accordance with Safety Orders for 
 Stationary Engines.) 
 
 All parts of flywheels with spokes, which are seven (7) feet or less 
 above the floor, must be guarded as follows : 
 
 (a) If guard is at least fifteen (15) inches in the clear from both 
 sides and face of wheel, a fence may be used at least three and one-half 
 (3|) feet high, to be either solid or of substantially supported wire 
 mesh or close slats. 
 
 (6) If guard is less than fifteen (15) inches in the clear from both 
 sides and face of Avheel, a fence must be provided at least five (5) feet 
 high, the fencing to be either solid or of substantially supported wire 
 mesh or close slats. 
 
 Exception. — Flywheels which are so small or so slow moving that they are not 
 in any way a source of danger. 
 
 (c) All flywheel pits must be surrounded with a toe-board not less 
 than six (6) inches in height. 
 
 10. Grinding Wheels. 
 
 (a) "Where practicable, grinding wheels must be provided with a 
 hooded guard of sufficient strength to withstand the shock of a bursting 
 wheel. This guard must be adjusted close to the wheel and extend 
 forward over the top of the wheel to a point at least thirty (30) degrees 
 beyond a vertical line drawn through the center of the wheel. 
 ■ (6) Arbor ends must be guarded. 
 
— 4 — 
 
 (c) Speed of wheels must not exceed the speed guaranteed by the 
 manufacturer. 
 
 (d) AVheiH3 practicable, grinding wheels must be provided with safety 
 flanges. 
 
 Note. — Wheels should be handled with the greatest care in unpacking, storing, 
 delivering, etc., and should never be left standing on the ground or wet places. Great 
 care should be used in mounting wheels; never force a wheel on the arbor. It is 
 advisable to use relieved flanges, compressible washers between wheel and flange, 
 and to obtain a perfect bearing at the outer edge of the flange. Vibration should 
 be avoided at all times. 
 
 TABLE OF GRINDING WHEEL SPEEDS. 
 
 Diameter of wheel in inches 
 
 Revolutions 
 per minute for 
 surface speed 
 
 of 4.000 feet 
 
 Revolutions 
 per minute for 
 surface siieed 
 
 of 5.000 feet 
 
 Revolutions 
 per minute for 
 surface speed 
 
 of 6,000 feet 
 
 1 
 
 15,279 
 
 7,639 
 
 5,093 
 
 3,820 
 
 3,056 
 
 2,M6 
 
 2,183 
 
 1,910 
 
 1,528 
 
 1,273 
 
 1,091 
 
 955 
 
 849 
 
 764 
 
 694 
 
 637 
 
 586 
 
 546 
 
 509 
 
 477 
 
 449 
 
 424 
 
 19,099 
 9,549 
 6,366 
 
 4,775 
 
 3,820 
 
 3,183 
 
 2,728 
 
 2,387 
 
 1,910 
 
 1,592 
 
 1,364 
 
 1,194 
 
 1,061 
 
 955 
 
 868 
 
 796 
 
 733 
 
 683 
 
 637 
 
 596 
 
 561 
 
 531 
 
 22,918 
 
 2 .- _ .. -. -. . -. ._ 
 
 11,459 
 
 3 _ -_- _ 
 
 7,639 
 
 4 
 
 5,730 
 
 5 
 
 4,584 
 
 6 .. -. _ -_ ._ 
 
 3,820 
 
 7 _ __ _ 
 
 3,274 
 
 8 
 
 2,865 
 
 10 
 
 2,292 
 
 12 _ .. .. -_ _ .. .. 
 
 1,910 
 
 14 
 
 1,637 
 
 16 
 
 1,432 
 
 18 
 
 1,273 
 
 20 - __ — -_ _ - 
 
 1,146 
 
 22 . . 
 
 1,042 
 
 24 
 
 955 
 
 26 
 
 879 
 
 28 ._ __ _. _. -_ ._ __ __ ___ 
 
 819 
 
 30 _- ..... 
 
 764 
 
 32 
 
 716 
 
 34 
 
 674 
 
 36 .. ._ ._ ._ 
 
 G37 
 
 
 
 The revolutions per minute at which wheels are run is dependent on 
 conditions, and in actual practice wheels are run at surface speeds of 
 from 4,000 to 6,000 feet per minute up to as high as 7,500. It is recom- 
 mended that for most grinding operations surface speeds should not 
 exceed 6,000 feet. As a wheel wears down the speed is increased to 
 maintain the same surface speed, and great care must be exercised 
 when a new wheel is provided to avoid overspeeding. 
 
 11. Ladders. 
 
 (a) All movable ladders (except substantial stepladders) must be 
 provided with either sharp points at the foot or wide, rough surface 
 feet, or other effective means to prevent slipping. Ladders for use in 
 oiling overhead shafting, where necessary to rest same on the shafting, 
 must be arranged to hook over the shafting. 
 
— 5 — 
 
 12. Stairways. 
 
 All stairways must be equipped with handrails, the top of which shall 
 be 30 inches vertically from the nose of the tread, as follows : 
 
 (a) "Where the stairway is not built next to a wall or partition, rails 
 must be placed on both sides. 
 
 (&) If stairway is closed on both sides, at least one handrail must 
 be provided. 
 
 (c) If width is greater than four (4) feet, rails must be provided on 
 each side. 
 
 {d) If width is eight feet or greater, rails must be provided on each 
 side and in center of stairway, except in cases where in the judgment 
 of the Industrial Accident Commission a center railing would be im- 
 practicable. 
 
 (e) All stairways must be properly lighted either by natural or 
 artificial light. 
 
 Note. — Stairways should not be built at a sharper angle than fifty (50) degrees. 
 For sharper angles, ladders should be used instead. 
 
 13. Platforms and Runways. 
 
 (a.) All elevated walks, runways or platforms, except on loading or 
 unloading sides of platforms, if four (4) feet or more from the floor 
 level, must be provided with a two-rail railing not less than three and 
 one-half (3|) feet high. If height exceeds six (6) feet above floor level, 
 a toe-board must be provided to prevent material from rolling or falling 
 off. 
 
 ( h ) Wherever permanent elevated platforms are in frequent use they 
 must be equipped with a permanent stairway or stationary ladder. 
 
 14. Swinging Doors — Windows. 
 
 {a) All swinging doors in stairways and all doors swinging both ways 
 in general passageways must be provided with windows. One window 
 must be provided for each section of double swinging doors. Both sides 
 of the doors must be provided with adequate light, either natural or 
 artificial, during the hours of active operation in the department in 
 which said swinging doors are located. The windows must be kept free 
 from dirt or other obstruction to the vision. 
 
 Note. — In order to accommodate boys or girls, the bottom of the windows should 
 not bo more tlian forty-eight inches from tlie floor. The size of the window which is 
 recommended should be not less than eight inches by twenty-four inches. Guards 
 should be placed over the window to protect the glass from being broken by pro- 
 truding parts on trucks, etc. 
 
 15. Passages — Keep Clear. 
 
 (a) All passageway's and gangways must be kept clear and in good 
 repair and free from nails or obstructions over which persons may 
 stumble and fall. 
 
— 6 — 
 
 16. Keys and Keyseats. 
 
 (a) All projecting keys in shafting, where exposed, must be cut off 
 or guarded, and all keyseats in ends of shafts, where exposed, must be 
 filled flush or guarded. 
 
 Exception. — When in the opinion of the Industrial Accident Commission it is 
 impossible to fill or guard the keyseats of machines without interfering with the 
 operation of the machine. 
 
 17. Floor Openingfs. 
 
 (This applies to any floor opening.) 
 
 (a) All floor openings must be guarded with a railing not less than 
 three and one-half (3|) feet high, having a toe-board not less than six 
 (6) inches high, and an additional railing midway between the toe-board 
 and top rail, railings to be constructed in a safe and substantial manner, 
 of either pipe, metal work or wood. One or more sides may be on 
 hinges, or if hinges are impracticable, sockets may be used. 
 
 (6) All chutes or stairway openings which can not be guarded as 
 required in (a) must be provided with a hinged cover, which, when open, 
 must be guarded in a safe and substantial manner. 
 
 18. Hoistways. 
 
 (a) Any platform outside of a building, or any opening giving 
 access to a yard arm, used for the purpose of hoisting or lowering ma- 
 terial by tackle or other means from one level to another (not including 
 platform elevator) must be guarded according to standards for floor 
 openings. 
 
 19. Conveyors. 
 
 (a) All conve^'^ors shall, where exposed to contact, be guarded. If 
 conveyor runs in a trough within three (3) feet above a floor level, or 
 just below a floor level, it shall be either completely covered with a 
 substantial lid, or enclosed by a railing, and necessary crossings provided 
 and guarded. 
 
 This order shall be effective, as to all equipment and facilities to be 
 hereafter installed, on and after June 1, 1916, and as to all equipment 
 and facilities heretofore installed this order shall be effective on and 
 after September 1, 1916. 
 
 RAILROAD COMMISSION OF THE STATE 
 OF CALIFORNIA, 
 
 By Charles R. I^etrick, Secretary.