Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 Hazard: GUARDING

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: The employer does not protect each employee from blow out hazards by ensuring the Derrick Emergency Escape Device or "Geronimo" was installed prior to commencement of work. This violation was most recently observed on August 24, 2005, at Chock's Inc. Rig 7, J Cleo Thompson W. Means Unit 8-10, Andrews County, where well servicing operations had begun without the Geronimo line being installed. American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice RP54 Paragraph 6.10.1 states: "On all land rigs, the derrick or mast shall have an auxiliary means of escape installed prior to personnel working in the derrick." Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard would be to verify the auxiliary means of escape is installed each time the rig is moved to a new location.