Oregon Material Handling - General: What you need to know

Oregon has adopted by reference the federal material handling regulations for general industry workplaces, and adopted additional rules for conveyors, aerial tramways, and automotive hoists that are stricter than federal requirements. It has also adopted stricter state rules for forklifts and cranes.

See the state Cranes, Derricks, and Slings and Forklifts topics for more information.

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services/Occupational Safety and Health Division (OR-OSHA) administers and enforces safety and health requirements in private and public sector workplaces.

This section contains general rules for safe material storage as well as specific regulations for stacks and piles, bricks and blocks, lumber, bagged materials, pipe and bar stock, drums, rolls, and cylindrical objects. It sets requirements for equipment design and construction.

Conveyors must meet ANSI B20.1-1957, Safety Code for Conveyors, Cableways, and Related Equipment. The regulation discusses controls, backstops, brakes, and conveyor guards. It sets requirements for cableway carriage and fall rope carriers, operating ropes, track cable systems, backstays, side guys, and anchorages, and has rules for operation and maintenance of cableways. Workers are not permitted to ride on any conveyors not especially designed for this purpose.

Aerial tramways also have specific design and construction standards as well as rules for operation, maintenance, and traffic control.

Material and automotive hoists are also discussed in detail.

Because of the extremely detailed requirements of the Oregon rules, employers should review the full regulatory text in addition to this ...