DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS  
DIRECTOR'S OFFICE  
GENERAL INDUSTRY SAFETY STANDARDS  
(By authority conferred on the director of the department of licensing and regulatory  
affairs by sections 16 and 21 of 1974 PA 154, and Executive Reorganization Order Nos.  
1996-2, 2003-1, 2008-4, and 2011-4, MCL 445.2001, 445.2011, 445.2025, and 445.2030)  
PART 11. POLISHING, BUFFING & ABRADING  
R 408.11101 Scope.  
Rule 1101. This part sets forth rules in places of employment for safety in the use of  
buffing and polishing wheels and coated abrasives, including specifications for  
flanges, guards, fixtures, application of compounds, automatic buffing, polishing,  
storage, direction of operation, and speed.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.11103 Definitions; A, B.  
Rule 1103. (1) "Abrading" means the process of removing materials by use of  
abrasives or wire wheels.  
(2) "Acorn nut" means a hexagon nut with a rounded enclosed end; see figure 1.  
Figure for 408.11103  
(3) "Buffing wheel" means a wheel which, when used in conjunction with a  
compound and a centrifugal motion, will impart a luster to metal, plastics, or other  
materials. Buffing wheels are of 2 types, as follows:  
(a) Type 1--"full disc buff" means a full circular disc of woven material plied  
and laminated, and generally sewn together.  
(b) Type 2--"bias buff" means a radius of woven material drawn into a clinch  
ring, which then creates a circular wheel of laminated plies, radiating from the  
clinch ring.  
History: 1979 AC.  
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R 408.11104 Definitions; C to F.  
Rule 1104. (1) "Clinch ring" means a series of hog rings pressed into a circular  
form integrally meshed through the buffing material.  
(2) "Coated abrasive" means abrasive grains bonded to paper, fibre, or cloth,  
usually fabricated in various forms, such as a disc, endless belt, and sheet.  
(3) "Compound" means the abrasive in a bond mixture applied to the buffing  
wheel or part in a cake or liquid form.  
(4) "Flange or end" means disc or plates between which a buff with a metal or  
fibre center is mounted.  
(5) "Fixture" means the support used to hold or guide a part being buffed or  
polished.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.11105 Definitions; O to W.  
Rule 1105. (1) "Off side" means a place above or below the center line of a wheel,  
depending on rotation of the wheel, where a part or compound will be thrust away from  
the operator.  
(2) "Open spindle lathe--hand jack" means a machine on which buffing or  
polishing wheels are mounted and run.  
(3) "Polishing wheel" means a full circular disc of a material, generally a  
product of the loom, compressed felt or sheepskin, that is plied and laminated.  
Abrasive grain is glued or cemented to the periphery and when cured is used to remove  
fine scratches and imperfections.  
(4) "Safety guard" means an enclosure for protection from emission or accidental  
contact.  
(5) "Wire brush wheel" means a full circular disc of wires held in place by a hub or  
ring.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.11111 Operator personal protection.  
Rule 1111. An operator shall:  
(a) Be provided with and use eye protection, as prescribed in Part 33.Personal  
Protective Equipment, being R 408.13301 et seq. of the Michigan Administrative  
Code, such as goggles or a face shield when polishing, buffing, or abrading.  
(b) Be provided with, at no expense, and use a belly pad or apron when hand  
buffing.  
(c) Not wear loose clothing.  
History: 1979 AC; 1983 AACS.  
R 408.11115 Guards.  
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Rule 1115. (1) A polishing, buffing, or wire brush wheel on a hand jack, automatic  
machine, or coated abrasive machine shall have guards made of a minimum of 16  
gauge metal or equivalent and of a size and design to cover at least half of the sides of  
the working wheel, and extend at least 1 inch beyond the spindles. See figure 2.  
(2) An adjustable deflector of at least 16 gauge metal or equal material shall be  
installed and maintained within 1/4 inch of the face of the wheel on all open spindle  
lathes. See figure 2.  
(3) The face opening shall not be any greater in area than actually required for  
performance of the operation.  
(4) In-running nip points of drive and idler rolls, such as found in belt sanding,  
shall be guarded with an enclosure which will include the rolls.  
Figure for 408.11115  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.11116 Arbor ends.  
Rule 1116. (1) An arbor end which is not equipped with an acorn nut or  
equivalent shall be guarded.  
(2) A nut shall be fully installed on the spindle, and the nut shall be self-locking  
with the arbor rotation.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.11118 Flanges.  
Rule 1118. (1) A flange shall be used with a metal or fibre center bias buff, except  
where the flange is an integral part of the buff.  
(2) A flange shall:  
(a) Be 3/16 inch thick for buff face up to 6 inches wide and 3/8 inch thick for a  
wider buff face.  
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(b) Be of a diameter to bear firmly on the clinch ring.  
(c) Be of the same diameter and design of both sides.  
(d) Be made of steel or material of equal strength.  
(3) A flange should be tapered or bell shape instead of flat. See figure 3.  
Figure for 408.11118  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.11119 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 2013 AACS.  
R 408.11121 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 2013 AACS.  
R 408.11123 Illumination.  
Rule 1123. (1) Automatic polishing and buffing machinery and equipment shall  
be located with respect to sources of natural light so that light of 25 footcandles intensity  
will fall on the loading and unloading area. When natural light is insufficient to meet  
this requirement, artificial light shall be provided.  
(2) Hand polishing and buffing machinery and equipment shall be located with  
respect to sources of natural light so that light of 30 footcandles intensity will fall on  
the work. When natural light is insufficient to meet this requirement, artificial light  
shall be provided.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.11131 Operations.  
Rule 1131. (1) Buffing or polishing shall be performed on the off side.  
(2) Buffing compound, when applied to a revolving wheel, shall be applied to  
the off side.  
(3) The wheel speed shall not exceed the manufacturer's recommended  
revolutions per minute.  
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(4) Coated abrasives shall be run according to the direction (->) indicated by  
the manufacturer.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.11135 Storage of abrasives.  
Rule 1135. Coated abrasives shall be stored under conditions of temperature  
and humidity to prevent breakage or warpage.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.11137 Fire and explosion precautions.  
Rule 1137. Precautions shall be taken to protect against fire and explosion  
hazards involving aluminum, magnesium, titanium, lint, wax, and solvent when  
polishing, buffing, or abrading.  
History: 1979 AC.  
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