Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314327925 - Paul Graham Drilling

Inspection Information - Office: High Hazard Unit - Central

Investigation Summary

At 8:00 a.m. on July 5, 2011, Employee #1 sustained a crushing injury to his ribs. The accident site is a natural gas drilling well site where the employer was servicing a well. The work at the time of injury was the setting up of the drill rig over the natural gas well. Employee #1 and Employee #3 were placing nuts on the blow out preventer. Employee #2 was spotting the drill rig as it move backward. Employee #4 was the driver of the drilling rig. Employee #5, the supervisor, was walking away from the drill rig towards the Dog House (i.e. trailer) at the time of the accident. The employees were beginning the task of erecting the mast platform for Drill Rig #8. The employees began to back the drilling rig's vertical platform into place at the back end of the rig. The high pressure blow out preventer, which resembles a Christmas tree in shape due to its extruding flanges and pipes, was put over the well head. Employee #1 and Employee #3 began tightening a series of nuts requiring manual tightening with large wrenches at the blow out devise. Employee #1 was wrench tightening bolts to the blow out preventer as the drill rig slowly backed up. Employee #2 was directing the drill rig driver, Employee #4, to the correct location to set up over the well head. Employee #1 was out of view of the drill rig driver, Employee #4. When Employee #4 attempted to put on the Drill Rig #8's brakes to stop the drill rig, the air brakes failed to engage. Employee #4 immediately knew the air brakes were not working, which caused him to pull the drill rig's hand brake to stop the rig. The extra distance the drill rig moved due to the faulty air brakes was approximately two feet. The additional two feet moved was enough distance to trap Employee #1 between the core of the blow out devise and the drill rig platform. Employee #1 sustained a crushing injury with broken ribs and a possible concussion. The other employees removed Employee #1 from the pinned position and kept Employee #1 still until medical care arrived. Employee #1 was hospitalized.

Keywords: PLATFORM, FRACTURE, BRAKE, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, RIB, DRILL RIG--NON-OIL, CONCUSSION