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Guidelines for Work Practices Using "Wood Chippers"

Contents

Guidelines for Work Practices Using "Wood Chippers"
Powerline Contact
Equipment Design/Maintenance
Safety Equipment
Operating Procedures

GUIDELINES FOR WORK PRACTICES USING WOOD CHIPPERS

Portable wood or brush chippers are mechanical devices used to dispose of wood products such as tree trimming debris, rail road ties., logs, scrap lumber and other waste construction materials. Care must be taken in using these devices since the wood material is normally fed by hand through a loading chute into the cutting assembly. The cutting rotor operates at powerful high speed with a great amount of inertia.

It is essential that proper work practices be utilized to ensure that the wood chipping operation is undertaken in a safe manner. The following information is provided to you as a guideline for safe operation of this equipment.

POWERLINE CONTACT

IMPORTANT:

Manitoba regulations state that when a machine (including a wood chipper) or any part of a machine may come within 3 metres (10 feet) of any electrical transmission line of a voltage sufficient to endanger life, the local power authority (Winnipeq Hydro or Manitoba Hydro) must be notified before work commences, and a work clearance notification form completed.

The power authority will then take this appropriate steps to see that the electrical line is effectively de-energized, guarded or rerouted, and confirm that protection has been provided.

EQUIPMENT DESIGN/MAINTENANCE

1. Mechanical chippers must be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications:
   1. The motor ignition shall be locked out and the key removed from the ignition before any maintenance or service is performed, or when the chipper is left unattended.
   2. The chipper drum shall be blocked, and only authorized persons allowed to perform any service or maintenance.
   3. On the drum or blades, retightening of chipper blade bolts shall be done according to manufacturer's specifications.
2. The chipper shall be equipped with a workable "kill" switch of approved design located at the in feed location.
3. The chipper shall have a curtain in place at all times (workable in all weather conditions, in order to prevent fly-back of material.
4. Before the wood chipper is started, the apron and feed platform should be checked and cleared of any foreign objects.
5. The front of the feed apron table shall be a minimum of 1500 mm (6O inches) from the chipper blades.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

The following safety equipment is mandatory for personnel working with wood chippers:

1. Personal hearing protection
2. CSA approved safety head ear.
3. Full face shield, in addition to safety eye wear.
4. Loose fitting leather gloves shall be worn by the person feeding the chipper.
5. One-piece coveralls shall be worn (blaze color in areas where traffic may be present).
6. Non-slip CSA approved safety footwear.

OPERATING PROCEDURES

1. Hands or feet shall not be placed beyond the curtain guard while the blade is in operation.
2. A push stick or brush shall be used to force shorter or thorny brush into the chipper.
3. Care shall be exercised when chipping dead or frozen wood in order to avoid kickback.
4. Maximum diameter of material to be fed into the chipper shall be 150 mm (6 inches), unless manufacturer's specifications allow larger material size.
5. Material from 75 mm to 150 mm (3 to 6 inches) diameter shall not exceed 2.5 metres (8 feet) in length, unless manufacturer's specifications allow longer material length.
6. The person feeding the chipper shall stand to the side of the apron at the rear of material being fed into the machine.
7. No person shall be allowed to stand or sit on any part of the discharge chute while the brush chipper is in operation.
8. No person shall stand or sit on any part of the brush chipper while it is in operation or while it is being transported from one job site to another.
9. The chipper apron is to be secured in the "up" position when being transported from one job site to another.