Inspection Detail

Inspection: 984863.015 - Superior Casing, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Oklahoma City Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 3:00 a.m. on July 10, 2014, an employee was working for a firm that provided support activities for oil and gas operations. He was one of a group of workers at a gas or oil well, installing production casing. The job was being done by drilling rig and casing contractors. He and others were tailing the bottom end of a section of casing pipe into the collar of the previous section. The oil well casing pipe was 114 millimeters (4.5 inches) in diameter. Drilling rig drillers were operating the rig draw-works. At the same time, a casing crew was making the pipe connections, handling the casing pipe on the catwalk, and operating the trough truck. As a section of casing pipe was being hoisted by the rig and guided into position by the casing crew, the casing crew missed inserting the pipe into the previously inserted section of casing collar. The pipe was caught on the edge. The employee, trying to push the pipe end into position, braced his back against the casing flag pipe. At the same time, the rig blocks drifted downward, contacting the top of the pipe. This motion put enough force to bow the pipe section. The assistant driller operating the rig had not seen the blocks descending or applied the draw-works brake handle. Suddenly, the pipe bottom broke loose. It struck the employee from his mid-abdomen to his head. He sustained blunt force trauma to the head and upper body. The employee was taken from the rig to the ground, He was bleeding from his ears and nose, and he was unresponsive. He was loaded in a pickup and taken to a hospital. He was declared brain dead on July 11, 2014, and he was declared dead at about 1:30 p.m. on July 13, 2014.

Keywords: Abdomen, Brain, Crushing, Falling Object, Head, Oil Well Drilling, Oil Well Drilling/Servicing, Oil Well Servicing, Struck By, Suspended Load, Torso