Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300758935 - Nabors Drilling Usa Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:15 a.m. on April 5, 2000, Employee #1 was part of a crew that had just made a mouse hole connection and was picking up the kelly. During the connection process, the wire rope supporting the tongs had become hooked on a bolt on the elevator. The crew was unaware of this until the elevator approached the elevation of the tong support sheave and the tongs also began going up. The kelly was stopped, but initial efforts to free the wire rope were unsuccessful. The driller then used an air tugger to pick up the tongs and slacken the tong support line, but this failed as well. The driller asked Employee #1 to go up and assess the situation, so he climbed the ladder and walked over to the tong sheaves. He was pushing on the wire rope to release it from the elevator bolt when the line suddenly came free and the tong support counterweight dropped. The wire rope and Employee #1's hand were pulled into the tong support line sheave, amputating his right ring finger. Employee # was a floorhand on a deep well drilling rig on an offshore oil platform.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, HOISTING MECHANISM, WIRE ROPE, FINGER, OIL WELL DRILLING, CAUGHT BY, HAND, OIL RIG