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 74 - Cotton Gins and Seed Cotton Processing Machines
Section 4640 - Saws

(a) All gin stands used in processing field cotton or seed cotton shall be provided with a positive guard which shall be designed to preclude contact with the gin saws while in motion.

NOTE: The saw blades in the roll box shall be considered guarded by location if they do not extend through the ginning ribs into the roll box when breast is in the out position.

(b) Before accessing lint cleaner saws, the saw cylinder rotation shall be stopped.

(c) Each lint cleaner shall be equipped with a vision panel in the drive covers or guards, unless the drive pulleys are readily visible through the guard material (e.g. expanded metal or wire mesh) to confirm that saw cylinder rotation has stopped. The vision panel or "see-through" guarding material shall permit the employee to observe rotation of the drive pulley spokes. One spoke of the drive pulley shall be of a contrasting color to enhance the employee's ability to readily detect rotation.

(d) Access doors, panels, or covers on lint cleaners which guard or provide access to the lint cleaner saw shall be secured in place by one or more of the following methods:

(e) All tools, specialized tools, and keys to locks and/or padlocks used to access lint cleaner saw openings shall be kept in the custody of a qualified person. The qualified person shall provide tools, specialized tools, or keys to the employee after verifying the lint cleaner has been deenergized, locked out and the saw cylinder(s) have stopped rotating.

(f) Employees shall work under the direct supervision of a qualified person while accessing lint cleaner saws.

(g) Warning signs shall be conspicuously posted at each lint cleaner stating that employee access to lint cleaner saws is prohibited until the lint cleaner has been deenergized and locked out from its energy source and saw cylinder rotation has stopped.