If you look up “line of fire” in the dictionary, it means “the path along which bullets are being shot.” While thankfully flying bullets are not a routine hazard in most workplaces, other types of line of fire hazards are more common. These hazards exist whenever the path of a moving object or other harmful energy source intersects with a human body.  Think about it, would you ever intentionally position yourself at the working end of a fully pressurized fire hose? (Hopefully, not!) Yet workers periodically position themselves in the direct path of harm.

Consider these examples:

• A worker in the path of moving heavy equipment or vehicles (forklifts, front-end loaders, leaf vacuums, passenger and commercial motor vehicles).
• A worker next to unstable materials that could shift or collapse (bulk bags, pallets, boxes).
• Working next to objects under tension (cable, chain falls, winches, utility guy wires, tub grinder conveyor systems).
• Stacked work locations (workers at height working above others at ground level such as bucket truck work, tree work, ladder or scaffold work).
• A worker in close proximity to stored energy (hydraulic, steam, gravity, pneumatic).
• A worker under suspended or supported loads that could fall (overhead crane and forklift loads, front-end loader bucket, etc.)

The key to avoid exposure to line of fire hazards is to identify, eliminate, or control the harmful object/energy whenever possible by applying the hierarchy of controls. Identification is best achieved through job hazard analysis efforts. This involves breaking jobs or tasks into steps and identifying the hazards within each step. Consider implementing the following strategies to address “line of fire” hazards. These strategies are listed in order, from most favorable to least favorable.

Elimination involves physically removing the hazard from the work area. For example, relocating unstable objects on the top level of a storage rack.

Substitution involves replacing the harmful exposure with something less harmful.  For example, using heavy equipment to demolish a building rather than using workers with jack hammers.

Engineering Controls involve isolating workers from hazards or vice versa. For example, using Jersey barriers to separate pedestrians from vehicle traffic or installing guards over moving machine components.

Administrative Controls involve changing the way work is performed. For example, implementing lockout tagout procedures that require among other things, de-energization and dissipation of stored energy prior to workers servicing or maintaining the equipment.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) involves protecting the worker with various forms of PPE. For example, utilizing eye and face protection when working near liquids under pressure or sharpening a metal tool on a bench grinder.

With some practice, we can all become skilled at identifying potential line of fire hazards and implementing feasible risk controls to avoid becoming a vulnerable target!