UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: THE NIGHT SHIFT CREW HAD BEEN PULLING 40 FOOT JOINTS OF SEVEN INCH DRILL PIPE. FOUR JOINTS HAD BEEN PULLED. THE FIFTH JOINT, IN A "WILSON" ELEVATOR, HAD BEEN RAISED CLEAR OF THE PLATFORM. AS THE OPERATOR SLOWLY LOWERED THE PIPE, TWO LABORERS SWUNG THE PIPE AWAY FROM THE DERRICK AND ONTO THE PIPE MACHINE, FOR TRANSFER TO THE PIPE RACK. THE ELEVATOR DOOR BECAME UNLATCHED, ALLOWING THE PIPE TO FALL. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS STRUCK AND KILLED BY THE FALLING PIPE. THE CREW WAS USING THE SAME PROCEDURE THAT THEY HAD USED MANY TIMES BEFORE. REPORTEDLY, THE ELEVATOR DOOR HAD BEEN PROPERLY CLOSED AND THE SPRING LOADED LATCH HAD BEEN CHECKED TO ASSURE THAT IT WAS PROPERLY SECURED. CREW MEMBERS SURMISE THAT THE LATCH HANDLE WAS TRIPPED ACCIDENTLY BY SNAGGING ON SOME RIGGING USED TO SUSPEND THE KELLY FROM THE DERRICK FRAME. POOR LIGHTING IN THE UPPER RIGGING AREAS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY PROVIDING A POSITIVE LOCKING DEVICE, WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE PERMITTED THE ACCIDENTAL TRIPPING OF THE DOOR LATCH.