Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1568350.015 - Excalibur Well Services Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Process Safety Management - North Non-Refinery

Investigation Summary

At 1:30 p.m. on December 6, 2021, an employee was working on an oil drilling rig along with two coworkers. The employees worked for a well services provider hired as a drilling contractor to drill a new oil well. A rental company was contracted to provide Farr Canada LW 9625 9-5/8" Lightweight Casing Tongs for running casing down into the well, as well as providing Coworker #1 who was the equipment operator. The employee had been employed with well services provider for approximately 4 months and his direct supervisor, Coworker #2, was present at the site during the time. The employee was positioned towards the front of the tongs near two open safety doors used to prevent pinch point injuries while the equipment is in use. Coworker #1 was standing to the rear of the tongs where the controls for operating the equipment are located. Both the employee and Coworker #1 were engaged in handling the equipment when the employee was pulling the tongs onto a new string of casing. The employee noticed that the jaw dies were misaligned and so he shouted out to Coworker #1 and proceeded to push the tongs back off the pipe. The employee was pushing with his hands on the safety door handles. Coworker #1 actuated the lever for the tongs as the employee was pushing back. The tongs engaged the casing causing the employee's right hand to be jolted forward and drawn in into the pinch point on the outside of rotary gear and the inside of the cage plate housing. The employee was wearing gloves at the time but since they were operating the tongs before the safety doors were shut and securely latched and because they failed to install a manufacture recommended safety interlock upgrade on the safety doors, the gloves did not help prevent or mitigate injury. The employee was transported and admitted to the hospital. The employee incurred a partial amputation and severe crushing injuries to his right hand 3rd and 4th fingers requiring surgical repairs and several medical visits.

Keywords: Abrasion, Amputated, Amputation, Caught In, Contusion, Crushed, Distracted, Engineering Controls, Equipment Operator, Finger, Hand, Hand Tool, Inexperience, Laceration, Lack of Engineering Controls, Machine operator, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Oil Well Drilling, Oil Well Drilling/Servicing, Partial Amputation, Pinched, Tongs