UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: On February 11, 1997, Employee #1 was a derrick worker on Oilwell Service Company's rig #18. This rig was referred to as a "drive-in rambler"--a work-over rig with a tilt-up mast that was used to remove, replace, and repair the tubing, sucker rods, down-hole pumps, and other equipment from an oil well. The rig's derrick platform was 23 ft from the ground, and the rig's crew was running sucker rods down the hole. One worker was working on the ground level, one was on the rig, and Employee #1 was in the derrick. It was his job to set the rods in place by hand, and the floor hand then used power tongs to screw the rods together. The crew had run approximately 61 of the 74 rods. When the rig operator started the power tongs on the sucker rod, the cuff of Employee #1's rubber glove came in contact with the spinning rod. The rod rolled his glove down his wrist to his hand. Before the operator could stop the rig, Employee #1's right ring finger was twisted off, and his right little finger was fractured. He was taken by the Los Angeles County Fire Department to Henry Mayo Hospital .