Chapter 4123:1-9 | Steel Making, Manufacturing, and Fabricating

Rule 4123:1-9-01 | Scope and definitions.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Promulgated Under: 119.03

(A) Scope.

The purpose of this chapter of the Administrative Code is to provide reasonable safety for life, limb, and health of employees.

These specific provisions of this chapter supplement those of Chapter 4123:1-5 of the Administrative Code, and pertain to the employer for the protection of such employer's employees and no others and apply to steel making and the processes used in conjunction with steel manufacturing and fabricating but do not apply to the manufacture of foundry type operations.

Installations or constructions built or contracted for prior to the effective date of any specification are deemed to comply with the provisions of these rules if such installations or constructions comply either with the provisions of the current rules or with the provisions of any applicable specific rule which was in effect at the time contracted for or built.

(B) Definitions.

(1) "Approved" means accepted or certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as "UL Solutions," "FM Approvals," or a responsible governmental agency.

(2) "Bosh tank" means a tank used to collect circulating discharge water from furnaces.

(3) "Danger zone" means the point of operation where a known critical hazard exists.

(4) "Guard" means the covering, fencing, railing, or enclosure which shields an object from accidental contact.

(5) "Guarded" means that the object is covered, fenced, railed, enclosed, or otherwise shielded from accidental contact.

(6) "Mixer" means a vessel that contains a supply of molten pig iron available when needed for charging into open hearth furnaces and for holding successive casts or lots of iron from blast furnaces to reduce irregularities in the iron.

(7) "Operator" means any employee assigned or authorized to work at the specific equipment.

(8) "Shall" is to be construed as mandatory.

(9) "Substantial" means construction of such strength, of such materials, and of such workmanship that the object will withstand the wear, usage, or shock for which it is designed.

(10) "Standard guard railing" means a substantial barrier constructed in accordance with paragraph (E) of rule 4123:1-5-02 of the Administrative Code.

Last updated January 2, 2025 at 10:11 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4121.12, 4121.121, 4121.13, Const. Art. II, Sec. 35
Amplifies: 4121.13
Five Year Review Date: 1/1/2030
Prior Effective Dates: 4/1/1964

Rule 4123:1-9-02 | Coke plants.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Promulgated Under: 119.03

(A) Warning signs and devices.

(1) Signs.

Warning signs that forbid smoking and open flames shall be posted near any entrance to rooms or buildings where coal dust or flammable gas may accumulate.

(2) Quenching car locomotives, pushers and larry cars, also known as charging cars, shall be equipped with audible and visual warning devices.

(B) Electrical equipment.

Approved electrical equipment shall be used in coal handling and by-product operations.

(C) Gas-carrying lines.

Lines carrying blast furnace gas or coke gas shall be purged before opening or entering.

Last updated January 2, 2025 at 10:11 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4121.12, 4121.121, 4121.13, Const. Art. II, Sec. 35
Amplifies: 4121.13
Five Year Review Date: 1/1/2030
Prior Effective Dates: 5/1/1981, 3/15/2010

Rule 4123:1-9-03 | Blast furnaces.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Promulgated Under: 119.03

(A) Communication system.

A means of communication shall be provided between the furnace, the cast house, the blower's office, and the skip operator's station. Additionally, a system for voice communication shall be provided between the furnace top and the cast house when employees are to perform work on the top of an operating blast furnace.

(B) Passageways under skip car tracks.

Passageways under skip car tracks shall be guarded from falling material.

(C) Gas-carrying lines.

Lines carrying blast furnace gas or coke gas shall be purged before opening or entering.

(D) Repairs to chimney stoves and furnace.

Before interior repairs are made to any chimney stove or furnace, gas lines shall be blanked off.

(E) Cast house.

The cast house shall have an exit on at least two different sides or two different ends.

(F) Iron and cinder runners.

All permanent gates in iron and cinder runners shall be operated at a distance of no less than three feet (0.9 meters) from the side of the runner.

(G) Dust catchers.

Operating devices for dumping dust catchers when pug mills are not provided shall be located a distance of no less than eight feet (2.4 meters) from the outlet of the hopper.

(H) Scale and transfer cars.

All scale and transfer cars shall be equipped with audible and visual warning devices and rail sweeps maintained in proper working order.

Last updated January 2, 2025 at 10:11 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4121.12, 4121.121, 4121.13, Const. Art. II, Sec. 35
Amplifies: 4121.13
Five Year Review Date: 1/1/2030
Prior Effective Dates: 4/1/1964

Rule 4123:1-9-04 | Steel making.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Promulgated Under: 119.03

(A) Mixers.

(1) All mechanically or electrically operated mixers shall be equipped with a counterbalance, automatic device, or the equivalent, designed to return the mixer to an upright position or to prevent it from further tipping in case of power failure.

(2) All hydraulically powered mixers shall be equipped with an emergency valve so arranged that if the main operating valve fails while the mixer is pouring, the emergency valve can be operated immediately to return it to an upright position or to prevent it from further tipping.

(3) Moist metal shall not be added to molten metal.

(B) Mixer building.

The mixer building shall be equipped with an audible warning device which shall operate automatically during any pouring operation.

(C) Auxiliary hoists on mixer ladle cranes.

Auxiliary hoists on mixer ladle cranes shall be equipped with a hook which can be attached to the ladle after the ladle has been hoisted into pouring position.

(D) Oxygen furnaces - blown basic steelmaking process.

(1) Each oxygen furnace - blown basic steelmaking process - shall be equipped with a means of communication connecting the charging crane, the charging floor, each operating floor, and each pulpit.

(2) Charging floors and operating floors shall be provided with approved handrails and toeboards. This specification does not apply to pouring and mold preparation platforms.

(3) Pit areas on charging and tapping sides of steelmaking processes shall be provided with drainage.

(4) The oxygen shall be shut off when a furnace is shut down for repairs.

(5) Tapping platforms and charging floors.

(a) Tapping platforms and charging floors shall be provided with standard guard railings. This specification does not apply to pouring and mold preparation platforms.

(b) A guard shall be provided to protect the opening in the railing of a tapping platform used for spouts and runners, which may be removed when work is being performed at that point.

(E) Electric furnaces.

(1) The source of power shall be locked out when work is performed in or on an electric furnace.

(2) Transformer vaults for electric furnaces shall be kept locked at all times and accessible only to authorized personnel.

(3) Tapping platforms and charging floors.

(a) Tapping platforms and charging floors shall be provided with standard guardrailings. This specification does not apply to pouring and mold preparation platforms.

(b) A guard shall be provided to protect the opening in the railing of a tapping platform used for spouts and runners, which may be removed when work is being performed at that point.

(F) Muffle furnaces.

Muffle furnaces shall be equipped with a safe means of lighting.

(G) Scrap breakers.

Where a demolition weight is used to break skulls and scrap, the operation shall be performed in a restricted or guarded area identified by appropriate signs and away from employees not involved in demolition work.

Last updated January 2, 2025 at 10:11 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4121.12, 4121.121, 4121.13, Const. Art. II, Sec. 35
Amplifies: 4121.13
Five Year Review Date: 1/1/2030
Prior Effective Dates: 5/1/1981

Rule 4123:1-9-05 | Rolling operations.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Promulgated Under: 119.03

(A) Subways or crossovers.

Subways with overhead protection or crossovers shall be provided at established passageways which cross the rolling line.

(B) Coupling boxes, spindles, and wobblers.

Coupling boxes, spindles, and wobblers seven feet (2.1 meters) or less above floor level shall be guarded.

(C) Access to top of housing.

Steps or equivalent means shall be provided for reaching the top of housing(s) four feet (1.2 meters) or more above floor level.

(D) Rolling tables.

Stop guards shall be placed at the dead end of all rolling tables.

(E) Bosh tank.

The top of the bosh tank shall be guarded unless it is at least forty-two inches (1.1 meters) above floor level.

(F) Stop guards.

Adjustable stop guards shall be installed at the outside of hot beds and skids.

(G) Looping posts.

Looping posts shall be used on small non-automatic repeater type mills where bars are being rolled in more than one pass in a continuous operation.

(H) Tubular products.

(1) Openings in welding and heating furnaces.

Charging and discharging openings in heating furnaces shall be provided with shields.

(2) Signal system.

A signal system shall be provided between the charging and discharging openings of all heating furnaces.

(3) Barring to prevent passage.

Space between ends of troughs, conveyors, or tables and roll stands shall be barred to prevent passage of employees.

(4) Butt weld mills.

Movable draw benches and chains on butt weld mills shall be guarded.

(5) Cross roll troughs.

Stops or guards shall be provided at the delivery end of cross roll troughs.

(I) Wire mills.

(1) Overhead protection - passageways.

Passageways under hot wires from annealing furnaces shall be provided with overhead protection.

(2) Wire drawing machines.

Wire drawing machines shall be equipped with an emergency stopping device such as an electric eye, trip cord, or similar means.

(3) Bull blocks.

All bull blocks shall be provided with a substantial back guard.

Last updated January 2, 2025 at 10:11 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4121.12, 4121.121, 4121.13, Const. Art. II, Sec. 35
Amplifies: 4121.13
Five Year Review Date: 1/1/2030
Prior Effective Dates: 5/1/1981