Part 5. Ships And Vessels of California Labor Code >> Division 5. >> Part 5.

Every person who is engaged in the business of loading or unloading ships or vessels, or who is authorized or contracts to load or unload a ship or vessel, or who is in charge of a ship or vessel while it is being loaded or unloaded, and such ship or vessel has a carrying capacity of 50 tons or greater, shall employ and supply upon every ship or vessel while being loaded or unloaded, a person over the age of 18 years to act as signalman or hatch-tender whose sole duty it shall be to observe the operations of loading or unloading of each working hatch on such ship or vessel, and to warn all persons engaged in the operation of loading or unloading of any possibility of injury to any of the articles of which the cargo is composed, or of danger to any person in or about the ship or vessel while it is being loaded or unloaded.

Handtrucks shall be maintained in a safe condition by the employer. Handles shall be maintained free of hazardous burrs, splinters, cracks or splits.

Handtools shall be kept in good condition and be safely stored by the employer. Unsafe handtools shall not be used.

The maximum weight of materials stored on building floors or load-carrying platforms, except those built directly on the ground, shall not exceed their safe carrying capacity. Material, when stored, shall be piled, stacked, or racked in a manner designed to prevent it from tipping, falling, collapsing, rolling or spreading. Racks, bins, planks, sleepers, bars, strips, blocks, sheets, shall be used when necessary to make the piles stable.

Adequate and substantial bull rails, stringer rails or curbs shall be installed at the waterside of all flush aprons on such wharves, docks or piers as are in active service for movement of cargo therefrom to vessels. This section shall not apply to any pier designed with depressed spur tracks on at least one side, on which cargo is worked between rail cars and ships but not in the narrow wharf area between depressed tracks and pier edge.

The employer shall require that tools, machinery, gear and other equipment subject to wear be inspected at adequate intervals and unsafe conditions corrected. If tools, machinery, gear or equipment are found to be defective or otherwise unsafe, employees shall report the same to the person in charge of work who shall have it discarded, marked and so placed that it cannot be used again until made safe.

Every dock plate shall be constructed and maintained with strength sufficient to support the load carried thereon. Dock plates shall be secured in position when spanning the space between the dock or the unloading platform and the vehicle. The dock plate, together with its securing devices, where used over spans of different lengths, shall be of such construction as will readily obtain rigid security over such spans. The dock plates shall be so constructed and maintained that when they are secured in position the end edges of the plate shall be in substantial contact with dock or loading platform, and with the vehicle bed in such manner as to prevent rocking or sliding.

Internal combustion engine-driven equipment shall be operated inside of buildings or enclosed structures only when such operation does not result in harmful exposure to concentration of dangerous gases or fumes in excess of maximum acceptable concentrations. Exhaust pipes shall be installed in such a manner that the exhaust products shall be discharged so as not to be a hazard to the operators.

Any person who violates any provisions of this part is guilty of a misdemeanor.

The provisions of Sections 7601 to 7607, inclusive, shall be applicable to longshore and stevedore operations.

Nothing in the foregoing sections of this part shall limit the authority of the division to prescribe or enforce general or special safety orders.