Line of Fire Line of Fire Company Harlan McPhee North McPhee South Powerhawke Ravex Richards Company Using the Form Job Name * Job Name and/or Number Date * Line of Fire The term “line of fire” is very common when talking about the hazards of a work task. Depending on the work being completed, there may be many different lines of fire or there could be very few. It is important to understand what the “line of fire” is and how to avoid being in it to avoid injuries. What is the “Line of Fire”? A simple definition of “line of fire” is being in harm’s way. Line of fire injuries occur when the path of a moving object or the release of hazardous energy intersects with an individual’s body. Three major categories of line of fire incidents are caught-in or between incidents, struck-by incidents, and released energy incidents. There are many specific examples of hazards for each of these categories. A few quick examples for each category: •Caught-in or between- An employee is standing between a wall and a piece of heavy equipment. When the equipment spins around the counterweight pins the worker against the wall. •Struck-by- a moving vehicle, an object falling from a higher level striking a worker below or being struck by a battery drill when it gets bound up, are examples of struck-by incidents. •Released energy- A pipe releasing hot steam from a valve that is being removed or a flame shooting out of a malfunctioning engine are examples of released energy. Avoiding Line of Fire Incidents The best way to avoid the mentioned incident types is to eliminate the related hazards whenever possible. By totally eliminating the hazards there is no chance that you or anyone else in the work area can be injured by that hazard. When elimination is not possible, engineering controls are the next best choice in protecting yourself from injury. Some engineering controls that could protect you from line of fire incidents include physical barriers, guarding around moving parts, and toe boards on elevated work platforms to prevent objects from falling to the area below. There are many other possible engineering controls that could be used depending on the specific hazard. Total elimination of hazards is not always possible and engineering controls may not be feasible or they can fail. Because of this reality, it is important to decrease your chance of being a victim of line of fire injuries by not putting yourself in harm’s way in the first place. Understand the work tasks that are going on around you and the associated hazards. The morning tailboard talk is great process to identify these hazards and how to protect yourself from them. If you are not clear on this, STOP and consult your supervisor. Look out for each other. If you notice someone that is in the “line of fire”, take action. Additional Comments Foreman Name * Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Picture Upload Drop a file here or click to upload Choose File Maximum upload size: 52.43MB reCAPTCHA Submit Δ
