Horns on construction equipment.

Subpart O — Motor vehicles, mechanized equipment, and marine operations

Standard Number: 1926.601; 1926.602

June 30, 1981

Rennes Bowman
Equipment Manager
John Driggs Company, Inc.
8622 Ashwood Drive
Capitol Heights, Maryland 20027

Dear Mr. Bowman:

This is in response to your letter of June 22, 1981, concerning a grandfather clause for horns on construction equipment.

29 CFR 1926.601(a)(3) requires all motor vehicles to be equipped with an adequate audible warning device at the operator's station and in an operable condition. 29 CFR 1926.602(a)(9)(i) covers material handling equipment and requires all bidirectional machines, such as rollers, compactors, front-end loaders, bulldozers, and similar equipment, to be equipped with a horn, distinguishable from the surrounding noise level, which shall be operated as needed when the machine is moving in either direction. The horn is required to be maintained in an operative condition.

The construction standards do not contain a grandfather clause for the use of horns.

If we may be of further assistance, please call or write.

Sincerely,

John K. Barto Chief,
Division of Occupational Safety Programming