All rotating parts or any portion thereof within ____ feet of the floor or working platform must be effectively guarded.

All rotating parts or any portion thereof within ____ feet of the floor or working platform must be effectively guarded.

• A. 5 Feet
• B. 7 Feet
• C. 9 Feet
• D. 3 Feet

Answer: (B)

Exposed rotating parts pose a serious danger because they can catch clothing, hair, or fingers and pull a worker into the machinery. To reduce that risk, guarding is required for parts that are within a distance where a worker could reach them from the floor or a working surface. The distance used here is seven feet, which is chosen to account for the reach of workers on the floor or on elevated platforms. Guarding—such as fixed shields, barriers, or enclosures—must be in place to prevent contact with the rotating parts within that reach. If the rotating parts are more than seven feet above the floor, this particular distance-based requirement wouldn’t apply, though other guarding rules still may. So seven feet is the standard threshold to ensure protection for most reach scenarios in typical work environments.

Exposed rotating parts pose a serious danger because they can catch clothing, hair, or fingers and pull a worker into the machinery. To reduce that risk, guarding is required for parts that are within a distance where a worker could reach them from the floor or a working surface. The distance used here is seven feet, which is chosen to account for the reach of workers on the floor or on elevated platforms. Guarding—such as fixed shields, barriers, or enclosures—must be in place to prevent contact with the rotating parts within that reach. If the rotating parts are more than seven feet above the floor, this particular distance-based requirement wouldn’t apply, though other guarding rules still may. So seven feet is the standard threshold to ensure protection for most reach scenarios in typical work environments.