WAC 296-78-56501   Log dumps and ponds.  (1) Log dumps, booms, ponds or storage areas, if used at night, shall be illuminated in accordance with the requirements of WAC 296-800-210, safety and health core rules.

     (2) A log dump shall be constructed at each log pond or decking ground. Log trucks shall not be unloaded by use of peavies or by hand.

     (a) The roadbed shall be of hard packed gravel, heavy planking or equivalent material and shall be maintained at all times. Roadbeds at log dumps shall be of width and evenness to insure safe operation of equipment.

     (b) A mechanical unloading device shall be provided and used for unloading logs. Log unloading areas shall be arranged and maintained to provide a safe working area.

     (c) Signs prohibiting unauthorized foot or vehicle traffic in log unloading and storage areas shall be posted.

     (d) At no time shall one person be permitted to work alone on a log dump, a booming or rafting grounds, or a log pond.

     (3) Water log dumps. Ungrounded electrically powered hoists using handheld remote control in grounded locations, such as log dumps or mill log lifts, shall be actuated by circuits operating at less than 50 volts to ground.

     (4)(a) A brow log, skid timbers or the equivalent shall be installed on all log dumps.

     (b) Where logs are unloaded onto skids, sufficient space shall be provided between the top of the skids and the ground to accommodate the body of a person.

     (c) All truck dumps shall be built with not more than six inches variation of level from side to side.

     (5)(a) All truck log dumps shall be equipped with a positive safeguard to prevent logs from leaving the load on the side opposite the brow log. Jill pokes shall not be used on truck log dumps.

     (b) Unloading lines shall be attached and tightened or other positive safeguard in place before binder chains are released at any log dump.

     (c) Stakes and chocks which trip shall be constructed in such manner that the tripping mechanism that releases the stake or chocks is activated at the opposite side of the load being tripped.

     (d) Binders shall be released only from the side on which the unloader operates, except when released by remote control devices or except when person making release is protected by racks or stanchions or other equivalent means.

     (e) Loads on which a binder is fouled by the unloading machine shall have an extra binder or metal band of equal strength placed around the load, or the load shall be otherwise secured so that the fouled binder can be safely removed.

     (f) Unloading lines, crotch lines, or equally effective means shall be arranged and used in a manner to minimize the possibility of any log swinging or rolling back.

     (6)(a) In unloading operations, the operator of unloading machine shall have an unobstructed view of the vehicle and the logs being unloaded.

     (b) Unloading lines shall be arranged so that it is not necessary for the employees to attach them from the pond or dump site of the load except when entire loads are lifted from the log-transporting vehicle.

     (7) All log dumps shall be kept reasonably free of bark and other debris.

     (8) Employees shall remain in the clear until all moving equipment has come to a complete stop.

     (9) Artificial log ponds subject to unhealthy stagnation shall be drained, cleansed, and water changed at least once every six months.

     (10) All employees whose regular work requires walking on logs shall wear spiked or calked shoes, except when working in snow.

     (11) Employees whose duties require them to work from boats, floating logs, boom sticks, or walkways along or on water must be provided with and must wear appropriate buoyant devices while performing such duties.

     (a) Employees are not considered exposed to the danger of drowning:

     (i) When working behind standard height and strength guardrails;

     (ii) When working inside operating cabs or stations which eliminate the possibility of accidentally falling into the water;

     (iii) When wearing approved safety belts with lifeline attached so as to preclude the possibility of falling into the water.

     (b) Prior to and after each use, personal floating devices shall be inspected for defects which would reduce their designed effectiveness. Defective personal flotation devices shall not be used.

     (c) To meet the approved criteria required by this subsection (11), a personal flotation device shall be approved by the United States Coast Guard as a Type I PFD, Type II PFD, Type III PFD, or Type V PFD, or their equivalent, pursuant to 46 CFR 160 (Coast Guard lifesaving equipment specifications) and 33 CFR 175.23 (Coast Guard table of devices equivalent to personal flotation devices). Ski belt or inflatable type personal flotation devices are specifically prohibited.

     (12)(a) Wooden pike poles shall be of continuous, straight grained No. 1 material. Defective poles, blunt or dull pikes shall not be used.

     (b) Aluminum or other metal poles shall not be used where hazard of coming in contact with live electric wires exists.

     (13)(a) Walkways and floats shall be provided and security anchored to provide safe passage for workers.

     (b) Permanent cable swifters shall be so arranged that it will not be necessary to roll boom sticks in order to attach or detach them.

     (c) Inspection of cable or dogging lines shall be made as necessary to determine when repair or removal from service is necessary.

     (14)(a) Decks of floats or other walkways shall be kept above the waterline at all times and shall be capable of supporting four times the load to be imposed.

     (b) Floating donkeys or other power-driven machinery used on booms shall be placed on a raft or float with enough buoyancy to keep the deck above water.

     (15)(a) All regular boom sticks and foot logs shall be reasonably straight, have all protruding knots and bark removed, and shall be capable of supporting above the waterline at either end, any necessary weight of workers and equipment.

     (b) Stiff booms shall be two float logs wide secured by boom chains or other connecting devices, and of a width adequate for the working needs. Walking surfaces shall be free of loose material and maintained in good repair.

     (c) Boom sticks shall be fastened together with crossties or couplings.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and[49.17].050 . 02-03-124, § 296-78-56501, filed 1/23/02, effective 3/1/02; 01-11-038, § 296-78-56501, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 89-11-035 (Order 89-03), § 296-78-56501, filed 5/15/89, effective 6/30/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, 49.17.050 and 49.17.240. 81-18-029 (Order 81-21), § 296-78-56501, filed 8/27/81.]