Line of Fire Toolbox Talk

Line of Fire Safety Talk

When you work in an environment where hazards regularly occur, that is referred to as working in the “line of fire.” Every job is different, and many will require you to work in different scenarios that may put you in harm's way.

Due to the amount of hazards on the jobsite, everyone working in the construction industry should always be fully educated about the hazards that they may face.

What does it mean to be in the “line of fire?”

When you are working on a construction site, there are many items and situations around you that haver the potential to cause harm. Working in the line of fire means that you need to be extremely careful and remain constantly alert.

Many injuries can occur when you work in the line of fire, and it is important that you know how to protect yourself.

“Line of fire” injuries that can happen

Working in the line of fire puts you at risk for a number of different injuries. The most common incidents can be categorized as caught-in or between, struck-by, and released energy incidents.

Injuries caused by these types of accidents can be minor, serious, or even fatal. That is why it is so important to make sure that you follow proper safety protocol at all times when working.

Released energy incidents

Released energy incidents refer to situations when someone is burned or scalded while working. The causes of these types of injuries can vary, including:

• Hot steam releasing from a pipe causing burns

• Flames shooting from a malfunctioning engine causing burns

Caught-in or between incidents

Caught-in and caught-between incidents are some of the most common incidents that can happen while on a worksite. Some examples of the causes of these injuries are:

• Getting caught between machinery and a wall

• Putting hands, feet, or other body parts too close to moving gears

Struck-by incidents

Getting struck by heavy equipment, falling objects, or swinging materials can cause a struck-by incident on a construction site. This is one reason that it is important to block off work areas where these incidents are most common.

Here are some of the reasons people get struck-by items on the job:

• The operator of a vehicle or equipment couldn’t see the bystander

• Equipment or materials falling from above head

Ways to avoid “line of fire” injuries

When working in an area that has known hazards and will almost certainly put you in the line of fire, you should do your best to eliminate those hazards. For example, if you are working from a height and others may be working below you, you may move a piece of equipment that could otherwise fall to a secure place, eliminating a struck-by hazard.

Your team should hold regular meetings about safety, focused on what is currently happening on the jobsite. One of the best ways to prevent unnecessary injuries is to give employees timely reminders of any potential hazards.

When everyone is aware of their surroundings, they can better protect themselves and others.

Types of precautions that can be made

If there are some areas of the worksite where you can not eliminate all hazards, you should take the necessary precautions and put engineering controls into place to help mitigate them.

Some examples of what you can do to mitigate hazards in the line of fire are:

• Toe boards on elevated areas to keep nails, drills, hammers, and other objects from falling

• Barriers and guardrails put up around moving and swinging machinery

• Physical signs and barriers to keep people out of dangerous areas

You can’t always keep everyone out of harm's way, but you can do your best to observe best safety practices and clearly communicate where the greatest dangers lie on the jobsite.

OSHA regulations

OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, helps define guidelines to keep construction professionals as safe as possible.

Some safety protocols that they require are:

• Scaffold platforms must always have toeboards, guardrails, and midrails

• Use safety harnesses/safety nets for employees who work from high elevations

• Only use ladders that are tall enough to reach the area you are working on

• Always resolve slippery stairwells to prevent slipping

• There should always be a safe way to exit a trench

• Never move a load on a crane directly over individuals

• There should be a visible written spill control plan

• All employees should know how to read and translate msds

• All chemicals stored at the business should have a msds

• All forklift operators must be properly trained, certified, and capable

• No horseplay when operating major equipment

• All workers should wear proper PPE at all times

What does proper PPE consist of?

When you are working in any type of hazardous conditions, always wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

It is important that you know the proper PPE for the job that you are performing. These items are all designed to protect you and keep you safer while performing different tasks.

Some examples of PPE are:

• Snug fitting gloves for hand protection

• Hard hats for head protection

• Safety glasses and face shields for protection of your face and eyes

• Steel toe boots, slip resistant soles, and puncture resistant soles for foot protection

All PPE has its own way of protecting you. It is also important that you have certain items of PPE inspected regularly to make sure it is still in good condition. For example, your hard hat should be checked routinely for damage.