Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 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 in that employees were exposed to the hazard of being struck by: Employees were exposed to the hazard of being struck by: a.Rotary hose with the hammer connection union and four (4) inch nipple falling from the standpipe as a result of not having implemented at least a semi-annual inspection program or procedure which would require the four (4) inch nipple which threads into the gooseneck at the standpipe be removed and the threads inspected at both ends and then rethreaded into the standpipe gooseneck. b.The employer failed to secure the wire rope/chain to the Manufacturer provided lug on the gooseneck of the rotary swivel for securing the upper part of the rotary hose, hammer connection union and the four (4) inch nipple to prevent them from falling. API Spec 8A, Eleventh Edition, May l, 1985, Page 8, Section 5, SubSection 5.4, Paragraph 5.4.l. "Swivels having gooseneck connections of two (2) inches and larger shall be provided with a suitable lug containing a l-l/8 inch hole to accommodate the clevis of a chain having a breaking strength of 16,000 pounds. The location of the lug is at the choice of the manufacturer. API Specification 8C (Spec 8C), First Edition, January l, 1990, Supplement l (January l, 1992), Page 26, Section 7, Sub-Section 7.9, Paragraph 7.9.6 "Gooseneck connections shall be provided with a suitable lug containing an l-l/2 inch (28mm) diameter hole to accommodate the clevis of a chain having a breaking strength of 16,000 pounds (7250kg). The location of the lug is at the choice of the manufacturer." Paragraph 7.10.5 "Rotary hose safety chain attachments shall meet the requirements of Section 7.9.6. c.Fragmented parts of the Oteco safety relief valve rupturing, i.e. Oteco safety relief valve had not been maintained or inspected to determine its operability and integrity in accord with the requirement API RP54-92. API RP54-92, Page 20, Section 8, Sub-Section 8.13, Paragraph 8.13.3, "In normal operations, pumps, piping, hoses, valves, and other fittings shall not be operated at pressures greater than their rated working pressure and shall be maintained in good operating condition. Test pressures shall not exceed the design test pressure. Pumps, piping, hoses and safety relief devices shall be of a design that meets requirements of the operating conditions to be encountered."API RP54-92, Page 20, Section 8, Sub-Section 8.13, Paragraph 8.13.4 "Safety relief devices shall be set to discharge at a pressure equal to or less than the rated working pressure of any pump, piping, hose or fitting that the devices protect." Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to implement a maintenance and inspection program as addressed in: API RP54-92, Section 8, Sub-Section 8.2, Paragraph 8.2.l, Page 16; Section 8, Sub-Section 8.13, Paragraph 8.13.3 and Paragraph 8.13.4, Page 20; API Specification 7, Thirty-seventh Edition, August l, 1990, Section 17, Paragraph 17.7, Page 56; API Spec 8A, Eleventh Edition, May l, 1985, Page 8, Section 5, Sub-Section 5.4; API RP8B, Fourth Edition, April 1979, Page 8-10, Figure 4.11, Page C-10; API Specification 8C (Spec 8C), First Edition, January l, 1990, Supplement l (January l, 1992), Page 26, Section 7, Sub-Section 7.9, Paragraph 7.9.6 and Paragraph 7.10.5. The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Drilling Manual, Section H4, Page l, ROTARY HOSE AND SWIVELS INSPECTIONS which states., "All hoisting tools on the rotary drill rig must have daily inspections followed by monthly and quarterly (more frequent if severe operating conditions or loading is imposed) shutdown inspections." and "in normal operations, pumps, piping, hoses, valves and other fittings shall not be operated at pressures greater than their rated working pressure and shall be maintained in good operating condition. Test pressures shall not exceed the design test pressure. Pumps, piping, hoses and safety relief devices shall be of a design that meets requirements of the operating conditions to be encountered, such as specified by API RP54-92, Page 20, Paragraph 8.13.3." This alleged condition occurred on or about June 18, 1996.