The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has released a bulletin for dealers who service C-Type light truck tires.
“Earlier in the year, TIA asked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for an interpretation on whether C-type light truck tires were covered by 29 CFR 1910.177,” according to TIA officials.
“The standard excludes light truck tires designated ‘LT’ and C-type tires are considered light truck tires by the manufacturers even though they do not have the letters ‘LT” in the size designation. TIA’s position was that the exemption given to light truck tires designated ‘LT should be extended to C-type tires because the service procedures are identical.
According to TIA officials, “OSHA’s response was that C-type tires are not interchangeable with light truck tires in the same size therefore they are covered by 1910.177.”
“We met with OSHA officials on video conferences and in person to help them understand that C-type light trucks are serviced the exact same way as light truck tires with the letters ‘LT’ in the size designation,” says TIA CEO Dick Gust. “Based on OSHA’s response, TIA had to respond with service and training recommendations for passenger and light truck tire dealers who service C-type light truck tires to help them comply with 1910.177.”
TIA does not believe that commercial tire dealers who participate in its Basic 200-Level or Certified 300-Level Commercial Tire Service (CTS) programs “need to provide additional training for technicians who have already completed the programs. Their training is already compliant with 1910.177, but commercial dealers are encouraged to inform their technicians that C-type light truck tires should be inflated in the same manner as truck tires.
“Since a C-type light truck tire has a higher inflation pressure than an LT tire in the same size, TIA believes any additional hazards related to service would be focused on inflation. Therefore, the inflation procedures for C-type light truck tires must comply with 1910.177.”
The safety and training bulletin recently issued by TIA includes the inflation procedures that should be followed, including the necessary inflation equipment to stay compliant.
TIA also has created an OSHA Tire Inflation Skills Demonstration Form that retailers can use to "document their employees demonstrated the ability to inflate a tire in accordance with the requirements contained in 1910.177.”
“This has been uncharted territory for TIA training so the board of directors has been discussing our response for months,” says TIA President Debra Hamlin. “Without clear direction from OSHA, TIA will stay true to our mission and improve tire safety through training and education by informing retailers on how they can safely service C-type light truck tires given the OSHA response.”
For more info, go to https://www.tireindustry.org/training/tire-technician-training/automotive-tire-service/
