Ezel / Labor Guidance / US
Back to Federal guidance

Sleeve guards over motor and pump couplings

Summary A pump company asked whether a metal sleeve bolted over a motor coupling met the guarding rule. OSHA said the described design complied with the cited provision, while the company could make that claim only on its own authority and could not say OSHA approved the product. OSHA archives the letter.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1975-06-23
Date issued
June 23, 1975
Status
Archived by the agency
OSHA labels this an archive document and warns that it may no longer represent OSHA policy.
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1910 Machine Guarding Power Transmission
Source
View the official document

Apply this to your situation

This page explains the general guidance. Ask about your specific situation and see what current federal labor law says, with citations.

The current status of this document is unclear
OSHA labels this an archive document and warns that it may no longer represent OSHA policy. It may no longer reflect the agency's current position. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance, and verify current law before relying on anything here.
About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

June 23, 1975

Mr. R. Lemma
Buffalo Forge Company
Buffalo Pumps Division
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Lemma,

This is in response to your letter requesting clarification of the requirement to guard couplings connecting driven power shafts.

According to your letter description and the enclosed pictures which show a sheet metal sleeve bolted to the motor/pump base totally covering the coupling we believe that you are in total compliance with OSHA 1910.219(i)(2) on page 23730 of the Federal Register dated June 27, 1974, Vol. 39, #125. This standard requires that bolts, nuts and setscrews shall either be counter-sunk or covered by a sleeve in the manner you are providing. Accordingly, you may state on your own authority that this particular item meets OSHA standards. You may not state the item is approved by OSHA.

We have mailed under separate cover several OSHA brochures including the above noted Federal Register. Please feel free to contact us if there are further questions about OSHA.

Sincerely,

Alfred Barden
Assistant Regional Director
Occupational Safety and Health

Related guidance

Permanently labeled locks for electrical lockout Opinion Letter · August 17, 2026 Helmet selection for lateral head-impact hazards Opinion Letter · August 17, 2026 Asbestos precautions when restoring drywall after flood damage Opinion Letter · May 7, 2026 Enforcement policy for recording and reporting COVID-19 cases Guidance · March 31, 2026

What does federal law require in your situation?

Ezel checks current federal labor law against your facts and answers with citations.

Opens in Ezel Pro.

  • Checks the law as it stands today, not only this page
  • Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
  • Chat, drafting and research in one workspace