Labor & Industries (L&I), Washington State

Forklifts and Other Powered Industrial Trucks Chapter 296-863, WAC

Effective Date: 04/01/07

WAC 296-863-300 Inspection, Repair, Maintenance, and Servicing

For printing

Your Responsibility

To make sure PITs are kept in safe condition and properly serviced

Reference: Appropriate respiratory protection may need to be used when operating PITs. See Chapter 296-841 WAC, Respiratory Hazards, for more information. Appropriate PPE may need to be worn. See WAC 296-800-160 in the Safety and Health Core Rules for more information.

You must

Inspect, repair and maintain PITs
Make sure PITs are in safe working condition	WAC 296-863-30005
Inspect your PITs	WAC 296-863-30010
Meet these requirements when repairing PITs	WAC 296-863-30015
Maintain your PITs properly	WAC-296-863-30020
Service your PITs
Service gasoline fueled PITs safely	WAC 296-863-30025
Service liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fueled PITs safely	WAC 296-863-30030
Make sure battery charging areas are safe	WAC 296-863-30035
Service batteries for electric PITs safely	WAC 296-863-30040

 

WAC 296-863-30005

Make sure PITs are in safe working condition

You must

• Remove any PIT from service that's not in safe operating condition.
• Immediately remove PITs from service that have any of the following problems, and don't return them to service until the cause of the problem has been eliminated:
  • - A leak in the fuel system.
  • - A clogged water muffler screen or other muffler part.
  • - An exhaust system that's emitting hazardous sparks or flames.
  • - A part that's hotter than its normal operating temperature thus creating a hazardous condition.

WAC 296-863-30010

Inspect your PITs

You must

• Inspect PITs according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Inspect PITs at these times:
  • - Daily before being put into service
    and
  • - After each shift, if the PIT is used on a continuous (24-hour) basis.

Note: You can designate someone on the off-going shift, on-coming shift, or some other person to do the inspection.

You must

• Report and correct any deficiencies noted during the inspection.

WAC 296-863-30015

Meet these requirements when repairing PITs

You must

• Make sure repairs are made by authorized persons.
• Make sure replacement parts are equivalent to the parts used in the original design.
• Make sure repairs aren't made in Class I, II, or III locations. See
  Tables 1, 2, and 3 for more information.

Definitions: Class I locations are areas where flammable gases or vapors are, or may be, present in the air in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitible mixtures. Class II locations are areas where the presence of combustible dust could be sufficient to produce explosions. Class III locations are areas where the presence of easily ignitible fibers are suspended in the air but aren't in large enough quantities to produce ignitible mixtures.

You must

• Make sure fuel and ignition system repairs that involve fire hazards are made only in locations designated for such repairs.
• Disconnect the battery before starting repairs to a PIT electrical system.
• Close the fuel container shutoff valve before repairing an LP-gas fueled PIT in a garage.

Exemption: The container shutoff valve may be left open if it's necessary to run the engine.

WAC 296-863-30020

Maintain your PITs properly

You must

• Maintain PITs according to this chapter and the manufacturer's instructions.
• Keep PITs:
  • - Clean
  • - Free of excess lint, oil, and grease.

• Take appropriate precautions to protect employees from the hazards associated with the cleaning agents or solvents used.
  • - Precautions could include methods such as ventilation.
• Make sure solvents used for cleaning PITs have a flash point of 100° F or more.

WAC 296-863-30025

Service gasoline fueled PITs safely

You must

• Handle and store liquid fuels, such as gasoline and diesel fuel, according to the National Fire Protection Association Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code (NFPA No. 30-1996).

Note: National Fire Protection Association codes are available by: - Purchasing copies by writing: National Fire Protection Association 1 Batterymarch Park Quincy , MA 02169 -7471 or - Contacting the NFPA website at www.nfpa.org

You must

• Stop the engine before filling a fuel tank.
• Avoid spilling fuel during servicing.
• Make sure you do not use open flames to check the gasoline level in fuel tanks.
• Do the following before restarting the engine after fueling:
  • - Put on the fuel tank cap.
  • - Make sure spilled oil or fuel is completely washed away or evaporated.

WAC 296-863-30030

Service liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fueled PITs safely

You must

• Handle and store liquefied petroleum gas fuel according to the National Fire Protection Association Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases (NFPA No. 58-1998).
• Shut down the engine while fueling.
• Fuel PITs equipped with permanently mounted fuel containers outdoors.
• Make sure filling fuel containers from industrial bulk storage containers is done at least:
• - 10 feet from the nearest masonry-walled building
• - 25 feet from the nearest building or other construction
• - 25 feet from any building opening.
• Make sure PITs are stored or serviced inside garages only when:
  • - There are no leaks in the fuel system
    and
  • - The fuel tanks aren't filled beyond the maximum filling density specified in WAC 296-24-47505(12)(a), Storage and handling of liquefied petroleum gases.

Reference: See Chapter 296-24 WAC, Part F-1, for LPG charging equipment requirements and maximum filling density and LPG service stations.

WAC 296-863-30035

Make sure battery charging areas are safe

You must

• Make sure battery charging areas are designated and provided with all of the following:
  • - Means to flush and neutralize spilled electrolyte
  • - Fire protection
  • - Ventilation that's adequate to disperse fumes from gassing batteries.
• Prohibit smoking in battery charging areas.
• Take precautions to prevent open flames, sparks, or electric arcs in battery charging areas.
• Protect battery charging equipment from being damaged by PITs.
• Provide at least one of the following to handle batteries:
  • - Conveyor
  • - Overhead hoist
  • - Other equivalent material handling equipment.

WAC 296-863-30040

Service batteries for electric PITs safely

You must

• Make sure PITs are properly positioned with the brake on before charging or changing batteries.
• Make sure you do not use open flames to check the electrolyte level in storage batteries.
• Do the following when charging batteries:
  • - Make sure vent caps are functioning
  • - Open the battery or compartment covers to dissipate heat
  • - Pour acid into water, never pour water into acid.
• Provide a carboy tilter or siphon to handle electrolyte.
• Keep tools and other metallic objects away from the top of uncovered batteries.
• Make sure reinstalled batteries are properly positioned and secured.