Line of Fire is a term used by the armed forces. This is the shot’s flight path. It is important to always stay out of harm’s way. In the construction and infrastructure industry there are similar situations.
Ensure that you and your colleagues stay out of the way of the energy’s trajectory, or the line of fire. By staying out of harm’s way, injury can be avoided when there is an incident.
In accidents involving injury, the direct cause usually is that the victim is hit. This may occur because of:
- Falling parts
- Ejecting fluids
- Flying-off parts
- Released gases
- Or because someone cuts him/herself, bumps into something or trips
In short, energy is released as a result of which we are injured. Being hit by the released energy results in injury. One of the handy tricks we use in actual practice is to ensure that you are not hit. Think of a boxer who tries to dodge a hit from her opponent in order to avoid a hit to the head. A lot of energy is released if she receives a blow. But if the blow misses, it only costs her some energy.
You do this in your work as well, avoiding that you are hit. A technician ensures that the inadvertent release of energy is directed away from his body. Removing a flange (flat ring at the end of a pipe) so that the pipe does not open towards your face but in the opposite direction. If the content is still under pressure, it will spray away from you. This way you are not hit.
Cut away from yourself with the blade of a knife instead of towards yourself. This way, if you slip, you will not cut yourself.
Hoisting a sewer pipe into a trench whereby you do not stand under the load. If the hoisting device fails, you have nowhere to go if you are standing in the trench.
What do you think of not moving under suspended loads? Fencing off lifting areas ensures that your body is not in the line of fire, because you do not move under a suspended load. If the load falls, you will not be standing under it and you will not be hit.
Or removing the protective cover from a right angle grinder, as a result of which particles flying off can hit your face or eyes. Do not put yourself in the line of fire!
In short, ensure that you are not hit. By positioning yourself properly, whereby you give thought to what could potentially happen if something flies off or is released, a lot of misery can be avoided. No doubt you are aware of some other rules that are based on the ‘working outside the line of fire’ principle.
I am very interested in knowing whether you have any examples from your own practical experience that are based on working outside the line of fire principle. Discuss these examples together.
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