Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313640559 - Ensign United States Drilling Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on March 9, 2010, Employee #1, with the assistance of a coworker, pulled and pushed the rigs Hawk Jaw (Model Number 65K-2GJR) into position to spin the rig's drill pipe up. As the employees pushed and pulled the Hawk Jaw into position, Employee #1 placed his right thumb on the outside of the Hawk Jaw center metal plate enclosing the Hawk Jaw's right control handle. As Employee #1 pulled and the coworker pushed the Hawk Jaw into position, the right metal plate enclosing the Hawk Jaws right center handle came in contact with the rigs drill pipe severing the tip of Employee #1's right thumb off. Upon Employee's #1 injury, the rig crew stopped work and attended to Employee's #1 injury. Employee #1 was moved off the island by boat and once on land transferred to Long Beach Medical Clinic, where he was referred to Long Beach Western Hand Center. At the Long Beach Western Hand Center, minor hand surgery was performed on Employee #1's right hand in which a small portion of Employee #1's right thumb distal phalanx was rongeured and a flab of skin was folded over the thumb. At approximately 2:00 p.m. on March 9, 2010, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health Torrance Office was notified by the management of Ensigns United States Drilling Inc. of an industrial accident occurring on Chaffee Island, Long Beach, CA. The division arrived on Chaffee Island at approximately 10:30 a.m. on June 2, 2010 to conduct an investigation of the accident.

Keywords: RIGGING, AMPUTATED, FINGER, DRILL PIPE, CAUGHT BY, THUMB, OIL RIG