Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: FALLING

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to the condition(s) listed below: At the job site, located at the Gibson 6-11 Lease (10 Miles North East of Denver City, TX, 79323): For the period of time up to and including 11/12/01, employees of Key Energy Services, Inc. (engaged in Oil & Gas well drilling) were exposed to fall hazards that were created when they were allowed in the derrick (by the Relief Tool Pusher and Rig Operators) before required inspections of the rig were conducted. Among others, some feasible and acceptable methods to correct these hazards would be to: 1) Require Rig Operators to perform a visual inspection and verify that the derrick to A-frame assembly pins are properly positioned and secured before any rig operations are allowed to begin in accordance with: a) American Petroleum Institute RP 54 - Recommended Practices for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations, Section 6.3 PRELIMINARY RIG-UP OPERATIONS, sub-paragraph 6.3.2 "Well operations involving the rig shall not be commenced until the rig is rigged up in a safe manner"; b) International Association of Drilling Contractors / IADC ROTARY RIG SAFETY INSPECTION checklist, Section V, item a. "Derrick, A-frame assembly pins in place, secured with keepers". c) Key Energy Services, Inc. and Subsidiaries Employee Safety Handbook, January 1999, Chapter 6, Rig Operating Procedures, page 6-38, first bullet, fourth sentence "The rig operator must ensure that all employees know their assignments". d) Key Energy Services, Inc. and Subsidiaries Employee Safety Handbook, January 1999, Chapter 6, Rig Operating Procedures, page 6-38, third bullet, "Do not rig up or down after dark unless there is proper lighting". 2) Require the Rig Supervisors / Tool Pushers to confirm the derrick to A-frame assembly pins have been properly positioned and secured by checking with the operator / personally performing a second visual inspection of the assembly pins. a) American Petroleum Institute RP 54 - Recommended Practices for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations, Section 6.3 PRELIMINARY RIG-UP OPERATIONS, sub-paragraph 6.3.2 "Well operations involving the rig shall not be commenced until the rig is rigged up in a safe manner"; b) International Association of Drilling Contractors / IADC ROTARY RIG SAFETY INSPECTION checklist, Section V, item a. "Derrick, A-frame assembly pins in place, secured with keepers". c) Key Energy Services, Inc. and Subsidiaries Employee Safety Handbook, January 1999, Chapter 6, Rig Operating Procedures, page 6-38, first bullet, fourth sentence "The rig operator must ensure that all employees know their assignments". d) Key Energy Services, Inc. and Subsidiaries Employee Safety Handbook, January 1999, Chapter 6, Rig Operating Procedures, page 6-38, third bullet, "Do not rig up or down after dark unless there is proper lighting". An employee (directed to install the assembly pins by the Relief Tour Rig Operator) placed the derrick to A-frame assembly pins in the travel position and secured them with the keepers, rather than placing and securing them to the A-frame to prevent the rig from collapsing, as did occur on 11/12/01 and resulted in the death of one employee.