Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120062757 - Western Well Service

Inspection Information - Office: Labor Enforcement Task Force (Letf) Unit - South

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 and two coworkers had finished pulling an oil well and were replacing the horsehead on the pumping unit. The head well-puller went to the electrical service box and turned on the power for the pumping unit to move the welling beam from the upper to the lower position. A coworker set the brake on the unit to hold the beam in the down position, but the brake did not hold. Employee #1 came from the front of the pumping unit around to the back of the unit while the walking beam was slowly going up and down. He climbed up on the well's 21 in. high concrete pad and reached through a 8 1/2 in. by 11 in. hole that was 44 in. above the pad. He then had to bend his knees and fully extended his left arm to reach the belt and pulley. His left hand was pulled into the nip point, and the tips of two fingers were amputated.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, WORK RULES, CAUGHT BY, OIL WELL SERVICING, NIP POINT, PULLEY, MECH MALFUNCTION, BLIND REACHING