General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Abrasive Wheel Machinery

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.215

29 CFR 1910.215 governs abrasive-wheel machinery such as bench and pedestal grinders: wheels must have a safety guard, the work rest must stay within 1/8 inch of the wheel, the adjustable tongue guard within 1/4 inch, and wheels must be ring-tested for cracks before mounting. Those two small clearances are what OSHA actually cites.

29 CFR 1910.215 at a glance

What it requires: Guarding and safe mounting of abrasive (grinding) wheels, including bench and pedestal grinders
Who it covers: General-industry employers operating abrasive-wheel machinery
Two key gaps: Work rest within 1/8 inch of the wheel; tongue guard within 1/4 inch of the wheel
Key duty: Provide safety guards, adjust the work rest and tongue guard, and ring-test wheels before mounting
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: 1910.215 is the specific abrasive-wheel rule: distinct from general machine guarding (1910.212)

What 29 CFR 1910.215 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.215 governs abrasive wheel machinery: bench grinders, pedestal grinders, and other grinding machines whose wheels spin at high speed and can shatter with lethal force. Because a bursting wheel throws fragments like shrapnel, the standard is prescriptive about guarding and about the two small clearances that most often appear on OSHA citations.

Every abrasive wheel must be guarded by a safety guard that covers the spindle end, nut, and flange projections and contains the wheel fragments if it breaks, with the guard's maximum exposure angle limited (generally 90 degrees or less on bench and floor stands, opened no more than the work requires). Two adjustments are the crux of enforcement: the work rest must be kept adjusted to within one-eighth inch of the wheel so the workpiece cannot be drawn in, and the adjustable tongue guard at the top of the wheel must be kept to within one-fourth inch of the wheel.

Before mounting, wheels must be closely inspected and sounded, the ring test, for cracks, and must be rated for a maximum operating speed at least equal to the spindle speed of the machine. Proper flanges and blotters must be used, and the mounting nut must not be over-tightened. 1910.215 is the specific standard for grinding equipment; the broader duty to guard machine hazards generally is 1910.212, and servicing a wheel implicates the lockout/tagout requirements of 1910.147.

The regulatory text

“Work rests shall be kept adjusted closely to the wheel with a maximum opening of one-eighth inch to prevent the work from being jammed between the wheel and the rest, which may cause wheel breakage.”

29 CFR 1910.215(a)(4)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.215

The work rest must be kept adjusted to within one-eighth inch of the wheel (1910.215(a)(4)).
The adjustable tongue guard at the top of the wheel must be kept to within one-fourth inch of the wheel (1910.215(b)(9)).
Every abrasive wheel must have a safety guard that contains fragments if the wheel bursts (1910.215(a)(1)).
Wheels must be ring-tested and closely inspected for cracks before mounting (1910.215(d)(1)).
A wheel's rated maximum speed must be at least the spindle speed of the machine it is mounted on.
The maximum exposure angle of the guard on bench and floor-stand grinders is generally limited to 90 degrees.
1910.215 is the specific abrasive-wheel standard; general machine guarding is 1910.212.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.215 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.215
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1910.215

#	Employer obligation
1	Guard abrasive wheels with safety guards
2	Ring-test wheels before mounting
3	Maintain tool rest within 1/8 inch of wheel
4	Maintain tongue guard within 1/4 inch of wheel
5	Ensure rated speed of wheel exceeds grinder RPM

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.215. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Abrasive Wheels violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.215 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

Work rest gap greater than one-eighth inch from the wheel (1910.215(a)(4)).
Tongue guard gap greater than one-fourth inch, or the tongue guard missing (1910.215(b)(9)).
Abrasive wheel operated without a required safety guard (1910.215(a)(1)).
Wheel not ring-tested or inspected for cracks before mounting (1910.215(d)(1)).
Guard exposure angle exceeding the allowed maximum for the machine type (1910.215(b)).

The two clearances, 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch, are what OSHA actually cites

Employers install a wheel guard and assume the grinder is compliant, but the most-cited abrasive-wheel deficiencies are the two adjustable gaps. The work rest must stay within one-eighth inch of the wheel (1910.215(a)(4)) so a workpiece cannot be pulled down between the rest and the wheel, and the tongue guard at the top must stay within one-fourth inch (1910.215(b)(9)) so fragments are deflected if the wheel bursts. As the wheel wears down, both gaps open up and must be re-adjusted. And 1910.215 is distinct from 1910.212: the general machine-guarding standard covers guarding hazards broadly, while 1910.215 sets these specific grinder requirements; a grinder can meet the 1910.212 duty and still be cited under 1910.215 for an open work-rest gap.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer measures the work-rest gap (must be within 1/8 inch) and the tongue-guard gap (within 1/4 inch), checks that the wheel guard is present and the exposure angle is within limits, and asks whether wheels are ring-tested before mounting. Open work-rest gaps that widen as the wheel wears are the classic finding.

Example: how a violation is cited

A bench grinder has a work rest sitting half an inch from a worn wheel; a workpiece is drawn into the gap and shatters the wheel. OSHA cites 1910.215(a)(4) for the excessive work-rest gap: one of the most common abrasive-wheel citations, with penalties from $16,550.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Abrasive Wheels compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.215. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Fit every abrasive wheel with a safety guard covering the spindle, nut, and flanges and rated to contain a burst.
Adjust the work rest to within one-eighth inch of the wheel and re-check as the wheel wears.
Adjust the tongue guard (peripheral guard) to within one-fourth inch of the wheel and re-check with wear.
Ring-test and closely inspect each wheel for cracks before mounting; match the wheel's rated speed to the spindle speed.
Use proper flanges and blotters and avoid over-tightening the mounting nut.
Verify the guard's exposure angle does not exceed the maximum allowed for the machine type.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.215

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

Abrasive-wheel violations are frequent because the two gaps drift out of adjustment with wheel wear. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514; work-rest and tongue-guard gaps are the usual findings.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for Abrasive Wheels compliance

A grinding wheel spins fast enough that a crack, an overspeed, or a jammed workpiece can burst it into shrapnel. The safety guard, the 1/8-inch work rest, and the 1/4-inch tongue guard address exactly that wheel-burst hazard, and they must be re-adjusted as the wheel wears down.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.215

Weekly Site Safety Inspection Job Hazard Analysis Builder Inspection Action Plan

Abrasive Wheels penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.215.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.215

What is the maximum work rest gap on a bench grinder?

One-eighth inch. Under 1910.215(a)(4), the work rest must be kept adjusted closely to the wheel with a maximum opening of one-eighth inch, to prevent the workpiece from being jammed between the wheel and the rest, which can shatter the wheel. As the wheel wears down, the gap widens and must be readjusted. This is one of OSHA's most frequently cited abrasive-wheel violations.

What is the tongue guard distance on a grinder?

One-fourth inch. Under 1910.215(b)(9), the distance between the wheel periphery and the adjustable tongue, the peripheral guard member at the top of the wheel, must never exceed one-fourth inch. The tongue guard deflects fragments if the wheel bursts, so like the work rest it must be readjusted as the wheel wears down.

Do abrasive wheels have to be tested before mounting?

Yes. Under 1910.215(d), immediately before mounting, wheels must be closely inspected and sounded (ring-tested) to make sure they have not been damaged in transit or storage: a cracked wheel gives a dull rather than a clear ring and must not be used. The wheel's rated maximum operating speed must also be at least equal to the spindle speed of the machine, and proper flanges and blotters must be used.

What is the difference between 1910.215 and 1910.212?

1910.212 is the general machine-guarding standard: it requires guarding for machine hazards such as points of operation, nip points, and rotating parts across all general-industry machinery. 1910.215 is specific to abrasive wheel machinery (grinders), adding prescriptive requirements like the safety guard, the one-eighth-inch work rest gap, the one-fourth-inch tongue guard, and wheel ring-testing. A grinder can meet the general 1910.212 duty and still be cited under 1910.215 for an open work-rest gap.

Why do abrasive grinding wheels need such specific guarding?

Because a grinding wheel spins at high speed and, if it is cracked, overspeeded, or jammed, it can burst and throw fragments with enough energy to kill or maim. The safety guard contains those fragments, the one-eighth-inch work rest keeps the workpiece from being drawn in, and the one-fourth-inch tongue guard deflects debris. Together these controls address the wheel-burst hazard that ordinary machine guarding does not specifically cover.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.215

1910.215 was adopted at OSHA's inception in 1971 from the national consensus standard ANSI B7.1-1970 (Safety Code for the Use, Care and Protection of Abrasive Wheels). Its prescriptive clearances, the one-eighth-inch work rest and the one-fourth-inch tongue guard, have remained stable and are among the most frequently cited machine-safety provisions in general industry.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.215, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Serious Eye Damage Zero Energy State Competent Person

Related guides & articles

OSHA Machine Guarding Requirements Complete Guide OSHA Top 10 Most-Cited Violations 2026

Related OSHA standards

29 CFR 1910.212

Machine Guarding

#10 most cited

29 CFR 1910.213

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29 CFR 1910.217

Power Presses

29 CFR 1910.219

Power Transmission

Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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