Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309169753 - Dhs Drilling Company

Inspection Information - Office: Utah Division Of Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

On June 9, 2006, Employee #1 was manning the derrick platform at a remote drilling site. After he had been working for several hours, a break was called. The weather was improving (it was warming up and drying off), and Employee #1 was able to remove some clothing as a result. During the break, the other members of the crew removed or replaced their wet clothing too. Employee #1 removed his coat and, after removing it, put his fall arrest harness back on. When everyone returned to the drill floor, work resumed. The driller brought the elevator up to the derrick man, Employee #1, who reached out to grab the horns of the elevator. However, he had failed to hook his fall protection harness to either the fall arrest system or the restraint system. As a result, when he reached out and grabbed the horns, he also overextended himself. The combination of being overextended and grabbing hold of the horns caused him to fall off the derrick platform. Normally, his restraint would have prevented him from falling, but it was not attached. As he fell toward the floor of the rig, he struck a spinner, which was suspended about ten feet above the floor. Employee #1 flipped over when he hit the spinner, and he landed on his back on the floor of the rig. His employer estimated that Employee #1 fell 90 feet. CPR was begun, but a pulse was never detected. CPR was stopped prior to the arrival of the ambulance, some 45 minutes after the accident. Employee #1 was pronounced dead at the scene.

Keywords: DERRICK, HEAD, PPE, OIL WELL DRILLING, STRUCK AGAINST, LANYARD, FALL, CONCUSSION, DERRICK PLATFORM, OIL RIG