Updated child labor provision for operating waste equipment

Because operating our equipment safely is a top priority at SP, it is important that we help spread the word on the latest labor laws pertinent to our industry.   

The US Department of Labor has published an important child labor provision regarding the operation of waste equipment by persons under the age of 18. The new law prohibits minors less than 18 years of age from loading, operating, and unloading power-driven paper processing machines, including all balers and compactors, guillotine paper cutters or shears, platen printing presses, and envelope die-cutting presses. There are limited exceptions that allow 16 and 17 year olds to load, but not operate or unload certain scrap paper balers and paper box compactors if the following requirements are met:

1. The equipment meets one of the following the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards:

• ANSI Standard Z245.5-1990
• ANSI Standard Z245.2-1992
• ANSI Standard Z245.5-1997
• ANSI Standard Z245.2-1997
• ANSI Standard Z245.5-2004
• ANSI Standard Z245.2-2004
• ANSI Standard Z245.5-2008
• ANSI Standard Z245.2-2008

2. The equipment contains a poster or notice that:

• Identifies the specific ANSI standard that the equipment meets
• States that 16- and 17-year-olds may only load the equipment
• States that no one under 18 years old may operate or unload the equipment

3.The equipment must include an on/off switch with a key-lock or other system, and the control of the system must be in the custody of employees 18 years of age or older.


4. The on/off switch must be maintained in the off position when the equipment is not in operation.


5. The equipment cannot be operated while it is being loaded.

For more information, visit the Department of Labor website at http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs57.htm

SP President Denny Pool Talks ANSI Standards

ANSI standards for Stationary Compactors are constantly changing to maintain the utmost safety in manufacturing, installation, and operation. The newest version of Z-245.21 will be called Stationary Compactors – Safety Requirements for Manufacturing and Reconstruction, and the newest version of Z-245.2 will now be called Stationary Compactors – Safety Requirements for Installation, Training, Maintenance, Operation, Modification, and Repair. These standards cover ALL installers. Moreover, ANY person or company that reconstructs/rebuilds a unit, or maintains, operates, modifies, or repairs a unit shall comply with these standards.


These two standards cover construction, component requirements, testing, safeguards, guarding, containers, cart lifters, auto starting, markings or labels, lock-out/tag-out, confined space, adequate clearance, operation, training, and more. The only way to truly know them is to read them.

Everything in these standards is important, but I’d like to refresh your memory of a couple points to which you should pay extra attention.

ANSI/NFPA 70-2009 NEC Section 110 is a normative reference that discusses adequate clearances around and ingress/egress of electrical equipment.

NFPA-70E Electrical Safety in the Workplace covers all electrical systems to be protected from ARC FLASH/BLAST as well as procedures to follow for protection.

Section 5.4 Controls states: “A lockable mechanism (e.g. interlock, key lock switch) shall be provided at the discharge end of a compactor to prevent activation of the compaction cycle when the container is being exchanged if the discharge end is not visible from the operator controls.”

Section 5.9 Guarding states that protection for personnel shall be provided when contacting ANY moving parts or MATERIAL loaded at the point of operation or other mechanical operation’s. There are three different methods explained in the standard, one of these must be accomplished completely, not just in part. This means that even though you have a 42” high load lip, you do not automatically comply if you can still touch the ram or material movement. You must still provide 84” of clearance away from materials or equipment in order to comply. This has been an OSHA regulation since 1970 for machine guarding and walking working surfaces.

Section 5.12 states that “continuously operating and unattended compactors with automatic start-up systems shall have start-up alarms both audible and visible.” If you supply or have a compactor that can start automatically without someone performing a manual task (e.g. turning a key, pushing a button, closing & locking a door) it shall have an auto-start-up alarm system. These types of systems are explained in this section.

Lastly, there are some additions to the Signage or Decals section. New decals for Lock-out/Tag-out, Confined Space, ARC Flash/Blast, and Beware of the Hazard have replaced old decals and alert people to the different hazards in and around stationary compactors.

ANSI standards have been requirements in our industry since 1975 so if you’ve never heard of these safety standards or are not aware of the changes, it is time to become very familiar with them. Knowing and applying them will save lives and money.

Reading the standards from start to finish is the best way to understand everything that is involved with this equipment. The Normative references at the beginning tell you all the other published standards that also comply with this equipment. Next the definitions are designed to correlate to our environmental industry. They will explain the many differences between equipment and terms like reconstruction, modification, and/or repair.

Thank you for reading, and as always feel free to contact me with any questions/comments at 800.592.5959 or denny@sp-industries.com.
Denny Pool