Text For Citation: 02 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 in that employees were exposed to a fire/explosion and struck-by hazards: At the Garcia Lease Well #5 during well workover operations in April 1999, the employer did not protect employees from the recognized hazard of performing work on the well without positive well control and then not working safely with a well under pressure, as referenced in the API Recommended Practice 54 (1992), Paragraph 5.3.4 which states, "Prior to initiating well servicing operations, the well shall be checked for pressure and if pressure is indicated, the operator's authorized person shall be notified; then proper steps should be taken to remove pressure or to operate safely under pressure before commencing operations." During the work an employee was fatally struck by flying parts from Vacuum Truck No. 402 where the cargo tank exploded while catching an overflow of petroleum oil/gas via direct connection to the casing side of the well. Among others, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct these hazards would be to circulate the oil/gas mixture to stabilize pressures throughout the well (i.e. between down hole and the surface) and halt all work until positive well control has been established and maintained. Wells with the potential for oil/gas pressure surges should not be directly connected to unrated pressure tanks (closed systems).