Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314824681 - Ensign Well Services

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 8:00 a.m. on May 20, 2011, Employee #1, a floor hand, was involved with the movement of drilling rods on the work floor of a rigging site (Rig Number 333, Well Number 157). The rods were placed on a rod elevator. They were lifted to a height and offloaded for use in the drilling operation. The crew had just pulled the fifty-second stand of rods. While the derrick man was positioning the rod stand into the rod fingers on the rig, the rod elevator came off the rod hook and fell approximately 60 feet. The elevator struck Employee #1 on his back. He sustained severe central spinal cord stenosis between the T11-T12 thoracic vertebrae, right 8 through 12 rib fractures, T3 through T11 spinous process fractures, and scapula fracture. Employee #1 was air lifted by helicopter to a medical center, where he underwent extensive surgical procedures and was then hospitalized for postoperative care. Due to the severity of injuries to his vertebral column and spinal cord, the result was paraplegia from the waist down. An investigation concluded the rod hook latch had a manufacturing defect.

Keywords: FRACTURE, PARALYSIS, SPINE, UNSECURED, DRILL PIPE, WELL, RIB, STRUCK BY, ELEVATOR, FALLING OBJECT