California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety
Subchapter 7 - General Industry Safety Orders
Group 8 - Points of Operation and Other Hazardous Parts of Machinery
Article 54 - Scope and General Definitions
Section 4186 - Maintenance and Use of Point of Operation Tools and Guards
Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(a) All saws, cutting tools, heads, shears, and knives that are part of any machine shall be kept sharp, properly set up, adjusted and firmly secured.
(b) All point of operation guards shall be properly set up, adjusted and maintained in safe and efficient working condition in conformance with Figure G-8 and Table G-3 or other guard configurations which will prevent the operator's hand from entering the point of operation.
(c) All repair work performed on metal forming and/or cutting machines, such as punch presses, press brakes, forming rolls, shears, power presses, forging presses and hammers, shall be made:
Point of Operation Guarding Figure G-8
Explanation of Above Diagram:
This diagram shows the accepted safe openings between the bottom edge of a guard and feed table at various distances from the point of operation.
The minimum guarding line is 1/2 -inch from the point of operation. The various openings are such that with average size hands, an operator's fingers will not reach the point of operation.
After installation of point of operation guards and before a job is released for operation, a check should be made to verify that the guard will prevent the operator's hands from reaching the point of operation.
Table G-3
| Distance of Opening from Point of Operation Hazard (Inches) | Maximum Width of Opening (Inches) | |
| 1/2 | to 1 1/2.......................... | ..........................1/4 |
| 1 1/2 | to 2 1/2 .......................... | ..........................3/8 |
| 2 1/2 | to 3 1/2 .......................... | ..........................1/2 |
| 3 1/2 | to 5 1/2 .......................... | ..........................5/8 |
| 5 1/2 | to 6 1/2 .......................... | ..........................3/4 |
| 6 1/2 | to 7 1/2 .......................... | ..........................7/8 |
| 7 1/2 | to 12 1/2 .......................... | ..........................1 1/4 |
| 12 1/2 | to 15 1/2 .......................... | ..........................1 1/2 |
| 15 1/2 | to 17 1/2 .......................... | ..........................1 7/8 |
| 17 1/2 | to 31 1/2 .......................... | ..........................2 1/8 |
Refer to Table G-1 in Section 3944 for the maximum width of openings permitted in guards at various distances from the moving parts of power transmission equipment, prime movers, machines and machine parts.
1.
Repealer and new section filed 10-25-74; effective thirtieth day thereafter
(Register 74, No. 43).
2. Amendment of subsection (b) and new Figure
G-8 and Table G-3 filed 11-18-76; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register
76, No. 47).
3. New subsection (c) filed 4-28-81; effective
thirtieth day thereafter (Register 81, No. 18).
4. Amendment of
subsections (b), (c), Figure G-8 and Table G-3 filed 10-31-85; effective
thirtieth day thereafter (Register 85, No. 44).
5. Change without
regulatory effect providing a more legible copy of Figure G-8 with no
amendments filed 3-13-2000 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2000, No. 11).
6. Change without regulatory
effect providing more legible illustration for Figure G-8 filed 2-18-2009
pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2009, No. 8).
Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.
