Line Of Fire

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- A construction worker is standing between a wall and

an excavator. When the excavator spins around the counter weight pins the

worker against the wall. Another example would be a worker placing his

hand too close to a rotating gear and gets it pulled into the gear.

•Struck-by- A pedestrian struck-by a moving vehicle or an object falling from a higher level striking a worker below 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. Ask yourself

what is the worst that can happen or what will happen if a certain safeguard fails. Recognize the hazards of your work and

act accordingly.

Discussion with your crew:

1.What are some examples of line of fire hazards here at our site?

2.What actions can we take to reduce the chance of being injured due to these hazards?