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

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: Aquila Drilling Company LP, Rig 3, Dorothy Fay K-3, Martin County, TX. For the period of time up to and including 09/06/07, employees were exposed to fire / explosion hazards due to a contract welder using a cutting torch and conducting welding within 60-feet of the well head without having fire fighting equipment nearby or a designated fire watch present. API Recommended Practice 54, Third Edition, April 1999, titled "Recommended Practice for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Drilling and Servicing Operations", states in Section 7, Paragraph 7.2.6, "Fire fighting equipment shall be readily available near all welding operations. When welding or cutting operations are performed in locations other than the designated welding area, a person shall be designated as a fire watch." Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to ensure welding / cutting operations are only done in a designated area and should be coordinated with other activities at the location.s