Preventing Caught-In Equipment Injuries Preventing Caught-In Equipment Injuries Company Harlan McPhee North McPhee South Powerhawke Ravex Richards Company Using the Form Job Name * Job Name and/or Number Date * Preventing Caught-In Equipment Injuries Caught-between and caught-in injuries occur when a person or a body part gets pinched, drawn into, or compressed between two pieces of equipment or between two parts of a piece of equipment. In a SIF-P incident from 2024, a warehouse driver was assisting forklift operator in loading a box truck when he was caught between the load and rear of truck because the forklift operator did not hear the driver say, "STOP". Any time you have equipment with moving parts there’s a chance of getting caught in or caught between those parts, but there are other types of injuries that count as caught-between or caught-in too, including excavation collapses and tip-overs of heavy machinery. Common caught-between or caught-in hazards in the electric industry include drills, wire pullers, powered saws, ropes, chains, and landing items being moved by a sling. As evidence of this, one of the SIF-P injuries we saw last year, a lineman suffered a crushing injury to his thumb. This occurred when working in an aerial lift, the movement of the bucket caused the 10“ block (pulley or sheave) to move along the wire and roll right onto the linemen’s thumb. Evaluating your surroundings and keeping your body and body parts out of the line of fire will prevent injuries. The Phalcon companies have also had many incidents in which someone ascending in a lift, with a hand on the rail, contacts a fixed object, pinching the hand between the rail and the fixed object. In another SIF-P injury from last year, an employee had several lengths of conduit that he was holding with his hand, dangling outside of the scissor lift. As he went to lower the lift, his hand got caught between the railing and the conduit when the bottom of the conduits contacted the ground. If a piece of moving equipment has a guard, always ensure the guard is firmly in place and will be effective in protecting you from contacting the moving parts. Resist the temptation to reach beyond the guard; instead, turn the equipment off and wait until all moving parts have come to a stop. Tuck in shirts around moving equipment, and tape down or remove loose clothing if there’s a risk a machine will catch it. This includes gloves. Although they may seem to be tight fitting, they can and have been caught up in rotating tools causing significant injuries. In any kind of excavation, always assess the risk of a collapse. A competent person must evaluate the condition of the trench and determine the best protective measures. This can include sloping, shoring or shielding. Ensure you’re trained for the tools and equipment you’ll be using and speak up if you feel you need a refresher or additional instruction. Practice good housekeeping and wear footwear that gives you good traction, because a simple slip can easily lead to a body part becoming caught in nearby equipment. Wear all your PPE so if something unexpected happens you’ll have the most protection possible. Finally, the morning pre-job brief is an excellent forum to discuss the caught-in or caught-between hazards that exist on your job site. These conversations can result in actions and controls that can prevent serious injury. The result of these types of injuries can range from a pinch of a finger to a fatality. Caught-in is one of Phalcon’s leading SIF-P injury categories, along with electrical, falls, and struck by incidents. Additional Comments Trainer 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 If you are human, leave this field blank. Submit Δ
