Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120062914 - Gary Drilling Company

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

Investigation Summary

At approximately 9:20 p.m. on October 30, 1995, Employee #1, of Gary Drilling Co., Bakersfield, CA, was working a derrick on drilling rig #4. The drill rig crew was running back into the hole. The driller raised the traveling block and elevators up into the rig. Normally, when the elevators reach the derrickman level at which Employee #1 works, he places a pipe into the elevators. The pipe is then lowered into the hole. On this date, when the traveling block and elevators were stopped at the derrickman level, the elevators swung toward Employee #1. He missed catching the elevators and the elevators kept swinging and hit the drill pipe. Employee #1's right index finger was caught between the pipe and the elevators and was severely lacerated.

Keywords: DERRICKMAN, FINGER, DRILL PIPE, OIL WELL DRILLING, CAUGHT BETWEEN, LACERATION, ELEVATOR