Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: STRUCK BY

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 exposed to struck-by hazards. At Rig #1, on or about February 2, 2012, on the rig floor where: a)The 5/16", 25-foot spinning chain was visibly damaged had not been removed from service. The chain had distorted and elongated links. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable means of abatement would be to inspect all chains per National Petroleum Services (NPS), Drilling Operations, Hazards & Control, paragraph 2.8 and remove any chain with elongated, stretched and distorted links from service. b)The tong located on the left side of the rig floor was held out of the way by a piece of rubber, one end of which was jammed in the juncture between two components of the mast pillar while the other end was attached to a slip ring over a bolt. Tears and cracks were visible where the rubber and slip ring were joined. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable means of abatement would be to secure tongs to a suitable fixed structure using wire rope or a stiff arm as outlined in American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations, RP54 (third edition, August 1999, reaffirmed March 2007), paragraph 9.9.4.