Inspection Detail

Inspection: 303083323 - Moncla Well Service

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on December 17, 2000, workers on an oil well servicing rig were running a string of pipe into the well bore. While going in the hole, the string (total length of pipe in the hole or well bore) is held by elevators attached to the traveling block, the crown block that is fixed at the top of the derrick, and the derrick. Once the pipe is in the hole a tool called slips is set at the rig floor and holds up the string. When the slips are secure (set) around the pipe, about three (3) feet of pipe (a stub) sticks out vertically above the rig floor. The lifting apparatus can be disconnected (the elevators opened) from the stub of pipe sticking out of the rig floor and the elevators latched on to the next stand to be screwed into the stub sticking out of the rig floor. Employee #1 had latched a stand of pipe to the elevators and was placing it into the box (female end) of the stub pipe sticking up out of the rig floor. Employee #1 did not get the pin end (male end) of the new stand all the way into the box of the stub. The stand was half on and half off the stub. The driller continued to lower the stand causing it to bow in the direction of Employee #1. The pipe sprung off the stub and struck Employee #1 in the face and knocked him off the rig floor to the ground about 9 ft below the rig floor. Employee #1 received a broken collarbone, broken ribs, and head injuries. Employee #1 died two days later.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, COLLARBONE, DRILL PIPE, RIB, FALL, OIL WELL SERVICING, STRUCK BY, FACE