Inspection Detail

Inspection: 123430282 - Torch Operating Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Austin Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was on loan from another company, having been requested as an experienced worker with 20 years in the oil patch. His new supervisor told him to go out and work with the Red Adair people. Unknown to the Red Adair employees, Employee #1 entered an area where workers were picking up stacked drill pipe and collars with a forklift. One of the Red Adair employees did not see Employee #1 immediately, but then observed him climbing on a stack of collars and pipe. He tried to motion to Employee #1 to get down; talking or yelling was useless because of the noise of a blowout fire. The supervisor and a forklift driver then saw Employee #1 disappear behind the stack. The pipe and collars had started rolling and smashed Employee #1 in the chest. He was dead on arrival at the local hospital.

Keywords: CHEST, FRACTURE, WORK RULES, OIL WELL DRILLING, CRUSHED, NOISE, BLOWOUT--OIL WELL, PIPE, INATTENTION, UNSTABLE POSITION