Rancho Cordova Municipal Code Art. III Coin-operated Laundry Safety

As used in this article, the following words shall be ascribed the following meanings:

"Dryer"

means any coin-operated clothes drying equipment.

"Laundry"

means any coin-operated laundry facility where coin-operated dryers or washers, or any combination or number thereof, are provided for use by any person.

"Operator"

means any person or persons responsible for the operation and maintenance of a laundry, irrespective of whether the equipment therein is owned or leased by any such person. "Operator" includes, but is not limited to, the owner of any multifamily residence which includes a laundry. "Operator" includes, but is not limited to, any person who owns a laundry facility.

"Washer"

means any coin-operated clothes washing equipment.

(SCC 578 § 21 (part), 1983; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4)

Every laundry operator shall be responsible for assuring that every washer and dryer in the operator's laundry facility is equipped with a safety device which is constructed, maintained and operated effectively in accordance with the applicable requirements of this article.

It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any laundry to make available for use by patrons any equipment which does not comply with the requirements of this article.

(SCC 578 § 21 (part), 1983; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4)

A. Every dryer shall meet the following requirements:

1. On and after September 10, 1977, all dryers installed in a laundry shall be equipped so that opening of the door to a maximum of three inches of opening shall operate an interlock that removes the driving force from the tumbler and deenergizes the heat source within 10 seconds and shall prevent rotation of the tumbler and energizing of the heat source until the door is closed to three inches or less of opening.

2. On and after September 10, 1977, all dryers installed or replaced shall be equipped with, in addition to complying with the requirements of subsection (A)(1) of this section, a secondary function-control that is manually operated from outside the dryer. This secondary function-control shall be so designed that it operates in a series with the interlock defined in subsection (A)(1) of this section.

3. On and after September 10, 1977, no dryer shall be operated or installed in a laundry that does not comply with the requirements of this section. The requirement for a secondary function-control in subsection (A)(2) of this section shall not be applicable to a dryer having an opening into the clothes drum with a volume less than two cubic feet.

B. To determine whether an appliance complies with the requirements of this section, tests shall be conducted with the dryer operating under normal load conditions prescribed in RCMC § 4.54.115.

(SCC 578 § 21 (part), 1983; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4)

For testing purposes, a dryer shall be subjected to a 6,000-cycle endurance test, consisting of energizing and deenergizing the component. The test shall be conducted at the rate of six times per minute unless a slower rate is dictated by design factors inherent with the appliance. There shall be no malfunction of the interlocking means or component as a result of this test.

For testing purposes, a dryer shall be deemed to be carrying a normal load if it is loaded with the weight (dry) of fabric recommended by the manufacturer. The clothes shall be thoroughly soaked in water, and the water shall be extracted as in normal use just before the fabric is put into the dryer; or clothes that have absorbed a weight of water equal to their own weight may be used.

The fabric to be used in the tests shall be bleached, preshrunk cotton suiting, warp 55 threads per inch and filling 48 threads per inch. Individual cloths shall be 24 inches by 36 inches, double-hemmed to a size of 22 inches by 34 inches; except that a small number of smaller cloths (12 inches by 12 inches, double hemmed to a size of 10 inches by 10 inches) may be used if necessary to make the total weight of cloth correct.

(SCC 578 § 21 (part), 1983; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4)

A. A washer provided with a means of water extraction of the centrifugal type shall either:

1. Be provided with a means to prevent opening of the lid or door while the washer is in the spin portion of the cycle; or

2. Be equipped so that opening of the lid or door to a maximum of two inches of opening while in the spin portion of the cycle shall operate an interlock that removes the driving force from the basket and stops the movement of all accessible parts within seven seconds with the machine loaded as prescribed by RCMC § 4.54.130. The basket shall not rotate until the lid or door is closed to two inches or less of opening. A front-loading washer shall not operate until a secondary function-control, manually operated from outside the washer, is actuated.

B. If an interlock provided in a top-loading washer is not recessed or guarded to prevent inadvertent operation when the lid is opened, a secondary function-control, manually operated from the outside of the machine, shall be provided.

(SCC 578 § 21 (part), 1983; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4)

A top-loading washer or a front-loading washer shall be deemed to comply with the alternative prescribed by RCMC § 4.54.120(A)(1) if a deliberate action is required to deenergize (unlock) the lid locking mechanism. A deliberate action shall include disconnecting the supply cord, manually advancing the timer to the end of the complete cycle, pulling the timer knob out, or manually rotating a rotary switch. In addition to deenergizing the lid-locking mechanism, the deliberate action shall completely stop the operation of the washer.

Except as hereinafter provided, pushing the timer knob in, actuating a toggle switch, or actuating any type of push-to-operate switch shall not be deemed to constitute deliberate action. For a front-loading washer with the controls in a console located at the rear of the machine's top, pushing the timer knob in, actuating a toggle switch, or actuating any type of push-to-operate switch shall be deemed to constitute deliberate action.

(SCC 578 § 21 (part), 1983; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4)

A washer shall not be deemed to satisfy the alternative prescribed by RCMC § 4.54.120(A)(2) unless movement of all accessible parts stops within seven seconds under the following endurance test. The brake mechanism or other means employed to stop the rotation of the basket shall be subjected to a 6,000-cycle endurance test consisting of starting and stopping the basket after it has reached its maximum speed of rotation. The test shall be conducted at the rate of three times per hour; provided, that a faster rate may be employed if a mechanical load twice that of the maximum dry-weight load specified by the manufacturer is equally distributed around the periphery of the basket. If a faster rate is employed, the washer shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of this section, if, after 6,000 cycles of operation, the stopping time is not more than 10 seconds.

The fabric to be utilized in washer tests shall be bleached, preshrunk cotton suiting, warp 55 threads per inch and filling 48 threads per inch. Individual cloths shall be 24 inches by 36 inches, double-hemmed to a size of 22 inches by 34 inches; provided, that a small number of smaller cloths (12 inches by 12 inches, double-hemmed to a size of 10 inches by 10 inches) may be utilized if necessary to make the total weight correct. To represent conditions of maximum normal load for the tests, the washer shall be loaded with dry fabric having a total weight equal to that recommended by the manufacturer for use in the washer.

(SCC 578 § 21 (part), 1983; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4)

The provisions of this article shall be enforced by the city director of the department of public works, individually, or by and through subordinate personnel assigned to the building and safety department.

(SCC 578 § 21 (part), 1983; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 38-2007 § 1 (Exh. 1(A)))