UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Inspection Detail

Inspection: 985869.015 - Pdc Energy Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Denver

Inspection: 985693.015 - Now Or Never Trucking, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Denver

Investigation Summary

At 12:30 p.m. on July 13, 2014, an employee was working for a firm that provided support activities for oil and gas operations. He was gauging and obtaining sam ples of crude oil from a tank. The tank held approximately 1,500 liters (400 ga llons). It was interconnected with other tanks in a battery. The tank in questi on not in production, but interconnected tanks were producing. A thief hatch on top of the tank provided access to the tank. It was less than 200 millimeters ( 8 inches) in diameter. It was open. Gases evolved by producing tanks vented thro ugh the open thief hatch. Hydrocarbon gases, including methane and propane, were being actively generated. They were escaping through the thief hatch. The empl oyee was wearing a half-mask air-purifying respirator with a multi-function cart ridge. The employee had been wearing a 4-gas meter, but he had turned it off fo llowing multiple LEL (lower explosive limit) and percent O2 alarms. The employee was found collapsed over the thief hatch. He was unresponsive, and he was decl ared dead. The 4-gas meter's datalogger was checked. According to the data the 4-gas meter collected before it was turned off, the employee was working in an o xygen-deficient atmosphere (and over-range LEL) for at least 5 minutes before he turned off the alarm. It was thought that the employee died within 30 minutes of turning off the 4-gas meter. the coroner believes that the employee either w as asphyxiated or sustained a cardiac arrest during exposure to a large concentr ation of flammable gases and associated low oxygen level.

Keywords:asphyxiated, chemical, methane, oil well drilling/servicing, oxygen, oxygen deficiency, ppe, propane, respirator, toxic atmosphere, toxic fumes, work rules