Must the protective rock screen above an auger be solid?

The protective rock screen above an auger does not need to be solid. The primary purpose of the rock screen is to catch and contain any loose material that may fall and potentially cause injury to personnel or equipment below. A non-solid or open design can still effectively fulfill this purpose by allowing smaller debris and material to fall through while catching larger rocks.

Additionally, considerations for ventilation, weight, and ease of maintenance may influence the design of the screen, making a fully solid structure unnecessary. This flexibility in design helps ensure that safety measures remain effective while also catering to practical operational needs.

Understanding the context of the operation and specific safety requirements is essential, but the principal requirement is that the screen should serve to protect without needing to be entirely solid.