Inspection Detail

Inspection: 2956076 - Norton Drilling Company

Inspection Information - Office: State Of New Mexico Environment Department Occupational Health & Safety Bureau

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS OPERATING THE CAT HEAD ON AN OIL DRILLING RIG. HE WAS HOISTING 8 1/2 INCH CASING FROM THE CATWALK TO THE V-DOOR. ANOTHER CREW MEMBER WOULD SIGNAL EMPLOYEE #1 WHEN TO RAISE OR LOWER THE CASING. EMPLOYEE #1 LOOPED THE FIBER ROPE ON THE CAT HEAD BY THROWING IT ONTO THE ROTATING HEAD. THE ROPE COULD BE TIGHTENED BY PULLING ON THE FREE END, AND THE CASING RAISED. HE COULD LOWER THE CASING BY CREATING SLACK ON THE ROPE. REPORTEDLY, EMPLOYEE #1 HAD DISCONTINUED USING THE FIRST LOOP GUARD ON THE CAT HEAD AFTER THE THIRD JOINT OF CASING HAD BEEN RAISED. ON APPROXIMATELY THE EIGHTEENTH JOINT OF CASING, EMPLOYEE #1 TRIED TO THROW ONE LOOP OFF THE CAT HEAD, AS THE ROPE HAD ALREADY BEEN LOOPED. HIS GLOVED HAND BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE ROPE AND HE WAS PULLED INTO THE CAT HEAD. THE ROPE WRAPPED AROUND HIM AT LEAST THREE TIMES. HE SUFFERED A BROKEN NECK AND OTHER INJURIES WHEN THE ROPE TIGHTENED AROUND HIM. HE DIED OF HIS INJURIES.

Keywords: FRACTURE, ROPE, GLOVE, OIL WELL DRILLING, CATHEAD, NECK, ENTANGLED