1910.218(a): General requirements
Key takeaways
- 1910.218(a) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart O).
- OSHA cited it 9 times in the last 3 years, in 8 inspections, with $40,341 in current penalties.
- Related part: 1910.218(a)(3)(viii).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.218(a) ("General requirements") is one requirement inside 1910.218 Forging machines, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart O). It includes 22 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(a) General requirements — 9 citations
(1) Use of lead. The safety requirements of this subparagraph apply to lead casts or other use of lead in the forge shop or die shop.
(i) Thermostatic control of heating elements shall be provided to maintain proper melting temperature and prevent overheating.
(ii) Fixed or permanent lead pot installations shall be exhausted.
(iii) Portable units shall be used only in areas where good, general room ventilation is provided.
(iv) Personal protective equipment (gloves, goggles, aprons, and other items) shall be worn.
(v) A covered container shall be provided to store dross skimmings.
(vi) Equipment shall be kept clean, particularly from accumulations of yellow lead oxide.
(2) Inspection and maintenance. It shall be the responsibility of the employer to maintain all forge shop equipment in a condition which will insure continued safe operation. This responsibility includes: 9 citations
(i) Establishing periodic and regular maintenance safety checks and keeping certification records of these inspections which include the date of inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection and the serial number, or other identifier, for the forging machine which was inspected. 3 citations
(ii) Scheduling and recording the inspection of guards and point of operation protection devices at frequent and regular intervals. Recording of inspections shall be in the form of a certification record which includes the date the inspection was performed, the signature of the person who performed the inspection and the serial number, or other identifier, of the equipment inspected. 1 citations
(iii) Training personnel for the proper inspection and maintenance of forging machinery and equipment. 1 citations
(iv) All overhead parts shall be fastened or protected in such a manner that they will not fly off or fall in event of failure.
(3) Hammers and presses. Open (a)(3)
(i) All hammers shall be positioned or installed in such a manner that they remain on or are anchored to foundations sufficient to support them according to applicable engineering standards.
(ii) All presses shall be installed in such a manner that they remain where they are positioned or they are anchored to foundations sufficient to support them according to applicable engineering standards.
| Size of timber, inches 1 | Square inches in cross section | Minimum allowable crushing strength parallel to grain, p.s.i. 2 | Maximum static load within short column range 3 | Safety factor | Maximum recommended weight of forging hammer for timber used | Maximum allowable length of timber, inches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 4 | 16 | 5,000 | 80,000 | 10 | 8,000 | 44 |
| 6 × 6 | 36 | 5,000 | 180,000 | 10 | 18,000 | 66 |
| 8 × 8 | 64 | 5,000 | 320,000 | 10 | 32,000 | 88 |
| 10 × 10 | 100 | 5,000 | 500,000 | 10 | 50,000 | 100 |
| 12 × 12 | 144 | 5,000 | 720,000 | 10 | 72,000 | 132 |
| 1 Actual dimension. | ||||||
| 2 Adapted from U.S. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin 479. Hardwoods recommended are those whose ultimate crushing strengths in compression parallel to grain are 5,000 p.s.i. (pounds per square inch) or greater. | ||||||
| 3 Slenderness ratio formula for short columns is L/d = 11, where L = length of timber in inches and d = least dimension in inches; this ratio should not exceed 11. | ||||||
(iii) Means shall be provided for disconnecting the power to the machine and for locking out or rendering cycling controls inoperable.
(iv) The ram shall be blocked when dies are being changed or other work is being done on the hammer. Blocks or wedges shall be made of material the strength and construction of which should meet or exceed the specifications and dimensions shown in Table O-11.
(v) Tongs shall be of sufficient length to clear the body of the worker in case of kickback, and shall not have sharp handle ends.
(vi) Oil swabs, or scale removers, or other devices to remove scale shall be provided. These devices shall be long enough to enable a man to reach the full length of the die without placing his hand or arm between the dies.
(vii) Material handling equipment shall be of adequate strength, size, and dimension to handle diesetting operations safely.
(viii) A scale guard of substantial construction shall be provided at the back of every hammer, so arranged as to stop flying scale. Open (a)(3)(viii)
(ix) A scale guard of substantial construction shall be provided at the back of every press, so arranged as to stop flying scale.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.218.
Where and how often it was cited
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OSHA interpretation letters
- Scale guard requirements for forging hammers. (1975-02-14)
Related parts of this rule
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Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.218 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.