Line of fire injury – Man struck in face by hammer
The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) has published a safety flash regarding an incident where a man was struck inadvertently in the face with a hammer, leading to ‘recordable’ injuries to his face. Two crew members were hammering up bolts on equipment at a well-head. During the pre-job meeting the two men had anticipated getting hit with the hammer while holding the hammer wrench. As a defence they tied an 8cm long piece of rope around the hammer wrench so that one employee could hold a bind on it while the other man swung the hammer. As the two men worked their way around the stack the man holding the rope ended up in the line of fire as he pulled the rope. On one of the swings the hammer glanced off of the top of the hammer wrench. Before the employee could stop the forward momentum of the hammer, it made contact with the man holding the rope striking him in the mouth resulting in injury.
Causes: lack of situational awareness, remaining ‘in the line of fire’.
See iadc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/SA-15-07.pdf for further details.
Members are reminded of the IMCA video – In the line of fire.
Safety Event
Published: 22 October 2015
Download: 
IMCA SF 16/15
IMCA Safety Flashes
Submit a Report
IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of all. The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on Members sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Please consider adding safetyreports@imca-int.com to your internal distribution list for safety alerts or manually submitting information on incidents you consider may be relevant. All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate.
IMCA’s store terms and conditions (https://www.imca-int.com/legal-notices/terms/) apply to all downloads from IMCA’s website, including this document.
IMCA makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained in the documents it publishes, but IMCA shall not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained. The information contained in this document does not fulfil or replace any individual’s or Member's legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Individuals and Members remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.