Abrasive wheel machinery and tools

Overview

Machines that use abrasive wheels are powerful and most operate at high speeds. Some abrasive wheels operate at several thousand revolutions per minute. If a grinding wheel shatters while it is turning, the fragments from the wheel assembly (including the flange, spindle end, and nut) can travel at more than 300 miles per hour. To ensure that abrasive wheels are safely used in your workplace, know the hazards and how to control them.

All available content

Publications

Checklists
- Abrasive wheel equipment grinders
  Checklist for abrasive wheel equipment grinders.
  English
Labels and stickers
- Prevent accidents for abrasive wheel machinery and tools
  Sticker illustrating distances between wheel and guard in machine.
  English Order printed copy 04/26/2024
Posters
- Hair today gone tomorrow
  Reminds workers of the dangers presented by hair and moving parts. Long hair is extremely dangerous around machinery. Always keep your hair completely covered.
  English Order printed copy 10/27/2022
References
- Rules with requirements
  We get many calls and emails from employers asking the same question. It begins: “Which of your rules have requirements for…” You can finish the sentence with words like “recordkeeping,” “employee training,” and “written documents.” To answer those questions, we’ve organized these rules requirements into a filterable, sortable, searchable table.
  English 05/10/2019

Education and training

Online course
- Bloqueo y Etiquetado
  Durante este curso aprenderá sobre; el propósito y alcance del estándar de bloqueo o cerrado/etiquetado, procedimientos de bloqueo y etiquetado, criterios de capacitación y criterios de inspección periódica.
  Spanish Online course
- Lockout/Tagout online course
  During this course you will learn about: the purpose and scope of the lockout/tagout standard; lockout and tagout procedures; training criteria; and periodic inspection criteria.
  English Online course

Workshop
- Lockout/Tagout and Machine Safeguarding
  Workbook English 10/01/2005
- Lockout/Tagout and Machine Safeguarding
  Instructor Guide English 10/01/2005

Rules and rule-related

Final Rules
Interpretations
- Portable electric grinders
  03/21/1994
- Wire wheel guarding
  04/08/1994
Program Directives
- Guarding: Cut-Off Wheels and Masonry Saws
  Purpose: To provide guidelines for citing violations related to guards for cutoff wheels and masonry saws used in General Industry and Construction.
  A-031 12/06/2012
- Guarding: Portable Abrasive Grinders When Used for Internal Grinding
  Purpose: To clarify the intent of the affected rules.
  A-120 03/09/2001
- Guarding: Tongue Guards on Grinding Wheels
  Purpose: This program directive addresses the issue of which rules to cite when tongue guards are missing or out of adjustment, and work rests are missing or out of adjustment, on bench or pedestal grinders used in General Industry and in Construction.
  A-084 08/12/2009

Video Resources

Borrow from the Resource Center

Grinding (Abrasive wheel machinery)
See available titles
Borrow DVDs about Grinding from the Resource Center