OSHA Fatal Facts, Oil Patch No. 1-2012

. FATALFacts No. 1 - 2012

Oil Patch U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA (6742)

ACCIDENT SUMMARY Accident Type: ........................................................................Vehicle, Highway Weather Conditions/Time of Day: .................................................. Wet/Night Type of Operation:..................................... Rig crew driving home after shift Size of Work Crew: ..............................................................................................4 Worksite Inspection Conducted by Employer: ......................................... N/A Competent Safety Monitoring on Site: ...................................................... N/A Safety and Health Program in Effect: ........................................................ Yes Training and Education for Employees: ..................................................... Yes Job Title of Deceased Employees: ............................................ Not reported Age/Sex of Deceased Workers: (Worker 1; Worker 2) ............... 34/M; 32/M Time on Job: ................................................................... 8 years; Not reported Short Service Employee (< 1 year): .................................... No; Not reported Photo by Robert Falcione © 2009 HopNews.com Time at Task: 12-hour shift + 1 hour driving; 12-hour shift + 1 hour riding You Have a Voice in the Workplace The Occupational Safety and Health Act BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT of 1970 affords workers the right to a safe Four workers were in a six-passenger pickup truck driving on a two- workplace (see OSHA’s Worker Rights page, lane blacktop paved road. These workers were traveling home after www.osha.gov/workers.html). Workers also their shift. It was night and the road was wet. The driver approached have the right to fle a complaint with OSHA a left-hand curve at an unsafe speed and failed to negotiate the if they believe that there are either violations curve. The truck went into a skid and onto the unimproved shoulder, of OSHA standards or serious workplace rolled over fve times, and came to rest in an upright position off the hazards. roadway. The driver and one of the rear passengers were ejected as How OSHA Can Help the truck rolled over and they were killed. The two coworkers that remained in the vehicle during the rollover sustained minor injuries. For questions or to get information or Only one person out of the four was wearing a seat belt. The speed advice, to report an emergency, report a limit on the curve was 40 mph (dry conditions), and the truck was fatality or catastrophe, or to fle a determined to have been traveling at 47 mph. confdential complaint, contact your nearest OSHA offce, visit www.osha.gov or call our toll-free number at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627. It’s confdential. ACCIDENT PREVENTION 1. Require employees to wear seat belts when they are traveling in More Information company vehicles. Upstream oil and gas safety and health: 2. Develop and implement a company vehicle safety program for all www.osha.gov/SLTC/oilgaswell employees, e.g., supervisors, crew members, sales personnel, etc. drilling/index.html 3. Instruct employees to comply with all highway safety regulations OSHA standards and regulations: and to reduce driving speed during inclement weather and when www.osha.gov/law-regs.html road conditions have deteriorated. 4. Stress to employees that operating vehicles while fatigued is OSHA publications: dangerous to themselves, their passengers, and others that may www.osha.gov/publications encounter their vehicle. Make sure that employees understand OSHA’s free On-site Consultation services: that management does not want them driving if they are too www.osha.gov/consultation fatigued to drive safely. Training resources: 5. Ensure vehicles are properly maintained, e.g., brakes, tire www.osha.gov/dte/index.html pressure, etc.

12/2012 Note: The described case was selected as being representative of improper work practices which likely contributed to a fatality from an accident. The accident

DEP FF-3614 prevention recommendations do not necessarily refect the outcome of any legal aspects of the incident case. OSHA encourages your company or organization to duplicate and share this information.