Weekly Toolbox Talk: Struck By and Caught In Between

Caught in or between and struck by hazards are two of OSHA’s Focus Four. These types of incidents continue to cause many fatalities and serious injuries annually.

A struck by injury is caused by forcible contact or impact between the injured person and an object or piece of equipment. A caught in or between injury maybe similar to struck by injuries, but caught in or between injuries can be determined if the injury was created more because of a crushing injury between two objects.

Struck by hazards are flying object, falling object, swinging object or rolling object.

Caught in or between hazards are cave-ins, being pulled into or caught in machinery and equipment or being compressed or crushed between rolling, sliding or shifting objects.

General requirement for protecting yourself from struck by hazards include:

 Ensuring all hand tools are maintained in good condition.
 All tools equipped with guards shall have guards in place.
 Only trained and authorized employees are allowed to operate powder-actuated tools.
 Compressed air shall not be used for cleaning purposes.
 All materials stacked materials shall be secured to prevent sliding, falling or collapsing. Secure all materials and tools when working at elevated heights.
 Toe boards shall be erected along the edge of overhead walking/working surfaces and scaffolds.
 Proper head, eye, face and hand protection shall be worn.

General requirement for protecting yourself from caught in or between hazards include:

 Use machinery that is properly guarded.
 Use methods to ensure that machinery is sufficiently supported, secured or otherwise made safe.
 Protect yourself from being pinned between equipment, materials or other objects.
 Protect yourself on excavation sites.
 Never walk under suspended loads.
 Always make contact with equipment operators before walking in front of, behind or around equipment.
 Motorized equipment shall be equipped with an operating back up alarm.
 Always watch where you place your hands around moving parts, such as scissor lift parts, basket guardrails and rotating parts.

Always look out for these types of hazards on the jobsite and don’t put yourself in a situation where you could become injured.