Line of Fire

Line of fire is the path that a moving object, released energy or falling material could travel, where a worker could be struck, caught or crushed. Standing behind a reversing truck, under a suspended load, in front of a pressurized hose connection or between a moving machine part and a fixed object are all examples of being in the line of fire.

Line of fire matters because struck-by and caught-in or caught-between incidents are among the leading causes of serious injuries and deaths at work. In construction, struck-by and caught-in/between hazards are two of OSHA's "Focus Four" hazards, alongside falls and electrocution. Many of these incidents happen in seconds, with little chance to react once energy is released.

What Does Line of Fire Mean?

The term describes a position, not a single hazard. A worker is in the line of fire when their body is in the potential path of energy or motion. The hazard may be present all the time, such as a moving conveyor, or only when something goes wrong, such as a rigging failure, a hose whipping loose or a load shifting during a lift.

Line of fire thinking asks two questions before and during every task: where could energy or objects go if something moves or fails, and is any part of my body in that path?

Common Line of Fire Hazards

• Moving vehicles and mobile equipment: forklifts, trucks, loaders and yard tractors, especially when reversing or in areas with blind spots.
• Suspended and lifted loads: working under or beside a load that could drop, swing or shift, and the swing radius of a crane's rotating superstructure.
• Stored energy: pressurized lines, compressed springs, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, tensioned cables and chains, and multi-piece rim wheels during inflation.
• Pinch points and caught-between hazards: rotating shafts, rollers, conveyors, closing doors and points where moving equipment meets a fixed structure.
• Dropped objects: tools, materials or debris falling from height, including from scaffolds, racking and overhead work.
• Flying particles and projectiles: grinding, cutting, hammering and broken tools or components.
• Collapsing materials: unstable stacks, trench walls and loads that can roll or tip.
• Hand tool slip zones: pulling a wrench or cutting toward the body.

Regulations That Address Line of Fire

There is no single OSHA standard titled "line of fire," but many standards address it:

• Machine guarding: 29 CFR 1910.212 requires guarding of points of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts and flying chips. See our machine guarding standard guide.
• Hazardous energy control: the lockout/tagout standard, 29 CFR 1910.147, requires stored energy to be relieved or restrained before servicing.
• Cranes in construction: 29 CFR 1926.1424 requires employers to control the work area within the swing radius of the crane's rotating superstructure, typically with barriers.
• Rim wheel servicing: 29 CFR 1910.177 requires restraining devices and keeping workers out of the trajectory during inflation.

Where no standard applies, OSHA can cite serious recognized struck-by hazards under the General Duty Clause.

Line of Fire Controls

• Eliminate or isolate: remove the need to be near the energy, use remote operation and isolate energy before work.
• Engineering controls: machine guards, barriers, exclusion zones, whip checks on hoses, toe boards and debris nets, and pedestrian walkways separated from vehicle routes.
• Administrative controls: planned lifts, tag lines, spotters, traffic plans, drop zones, tool tethering and pre-task reviews.
• Behavior and awareness: never stand under a suspended load, stay out of the path of reversing vehicles, position your body to the side when releasing pressure and keep hands out of pinch points.
• PPE: hard hats, eye and face protection, high-visibility clothing and gloves reduce harm but do not keep a worker out of the line of fire.

How to Keep Workers Out of the Line of Fire Step by Step

1. Identify energy sources. Before a task, list what could move, fall, release, rotate or roll.
2. Map the paths. Work out where each object or energy release could go if something fails.
3. Remove or isolate energy. Lock out, bleed down, block or restrain energy wherever possible.
4. Set up barriers and exclusion zones. Physically keep people out of swing radii, drop zones and vehicle paths.
5. Plan body position. Decide where each worker will stand and how they will use tools so their body stays out of the path.
6. Communicate. Discuss line of fire hazards in the pre-task brief or toolbox talk, and use spotters where needed.
7. Observe and correct. Watch for line of fire exposure during the work and stop the job if someone is in the path.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Relying on PPE to protect against heavy moving objects or released energy.
• Assuming a system is safe because the machine is off, without relieving stored energy.
• Walking under loads or between equipment to save time.
• Allowing pedestrians and mobile equipment to share routes without separation.
• Re-evaluating hazards only at the start of the job, even when conditions change.

How SMS360 Helps

SMS360's Safety Observations module lets supervisors and workers record line of fire exposures they see in the field, building a picture of where they happen most. Tasks with stored energy can be controlled through Lockout/Tagout procedures and records, and fixes such as new barriers or guards can be assigned and tracked in Actions Management.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an example of line of fire?

Standing behind a reversing forklift, working under a suspended load, kneeling in front of a pressurized hose fitting or reaching into a running conveyor are all examples of being in the line of fire.

Is line of fire an OSHA term?

It is a widely used industry term rather than a defined regulatory term. OSHA addresses the same hazards through struck-by and caught-in/between standards, including machine guarding, lockout/tagout and crane rules. See OSHA's machine guarding requirements in 29 CFR 1910.212.

Is PPE enough to protect against line of fire hazards?

No. PPE can reduce some injuries, but it cannot protect against crushing, heavy falling loads or high-energy releases. Removing energy, barriers and keeping out of the path are the primary controls.