OSHA Fatal Facts, Oil Patch No. 4-2012

FATALFacts No. 4 – 2012

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

ACCIDENT SUMMARY You Have a Voice in the Workplace Accident Type: . .........................................................................Fall from derrick The Occupational Safety and Health Act Weather Conditions/Time of Day: ...............................................Not reported of 1970 affords workers the right to a safe Type of Operation: . .......................................................Tripping pipe into well workplace (see OSHA’s Worker Rights page, Size of Work Crew: ..............................................................................................5 www.osha.gov/workers.html). Workers also Worksite Inspection Conducted by Employer: . ........................................ Yes have the right to file a complaint with OSHA Competent Safety Monitoring on Site: ...................................................... Yes if they believe that there are either violations Safety and Health Program in Effect: ......................................................... Yes of OSHA standards or serious workplace Training and Education for Employees: . .................................................... Yes hazards. Job Title of Deceased Employee: ..................................................Derrickman Age/Sex of Deceased Employee: . .............................................................29/M How OSHA Can Help Time on Job: . ............................................................................................4 Years For questions or to get information or Short Service Employee (< 1 year): .............................................................. No advice, to report an emergency, report a Time at Task: . ........................................................................................... 4 hours fatality or catastrophe, or to file a confidential complaint, contact your nearest BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT OSHA office, visit www.osha.gov or call our A derrickman was working on the derrick board of a rig. After taking toll-free number at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), a break, the derrickman climbed back up to the derrick board and TTY 1-877-889-5627. It’s confidential. did not attach his fall protection device after unhooking from the More Information climb assist. The worker grabbed the first stand of pipe with the tail Upstream oil and gas safety and health: rope which helped keep his balance as the elevators were being sent www.osha.gov/SLTC/oilgaswell up to attach to the pipe. When he released the tail rope, he lost his drilling/index.html balance and fell 90 ft. to the rig floor, where he was fatally injured. OSHA standards and regulations: www.osha.gov/law-regs.html ACCIDENT PREVENTION OSHA publications: 1. Ensure that all employees that work at elevations above the www.osha.gov/publications ground or adjacent surfaces such as a rig floor, are protected at OSHA’s free On-site Consultation services: all times from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or www.osha.gov/consultation personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). See 29 CFR 1910.23. 2. Evaluate the worksite to identify jobs and locations where workers Training resources: might be exposed to fall hazards. www.osha.gov/dte/index.html 3. Instruct all workers in the hazards of working at elevations and how to properly use personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). 4. Implement work rules which instruct workers that they must use fall protection equipment (e.g., ladder climbing assist devices; PFAS, etc.) when they are working at elevations. 5. Inspect all fall-related equipment (guardrails, ladders, PFAS) to make sure that they are not damaged or deteriorated.

Note: The described case was selected as being representative of improper work practices which likely contributed to a fatality from an accident. The accident prevention recommendations 12/2012 do not necessarily reflect the outcome of any legal aspects of the incident case. OSHA

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