OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14352686
OXYGEN DEFICIENCY,ASPHYXIATED,CONFINED SPACE,AIR MONITORING,FALL,OIL RIG
Event description
EMPLOYEES DIED OF OXYGEN DEFICIENCY IN OIL RIG BALLAST TUBE
Investigation abstract
THREE MEN WERE INSPECTING THE INTERIOR OF A BALLAST TUBE ON A SEMISUBMERSIBLE OI . THE THIRD EMPLOYEE THEN LEFT THE TUBE TO LOOK FOR HELP IN RESCUING THE EMPLOYE E WHO FELL. BY THE TIME HE RETURNED WITH HELP, THE OXYGEN ALARM WAS OPERATING AN D BOTH OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE FOUND LYING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SECOND COMPA RTMENT. AUTOPSY REPORTS SHOWED THAT BOTH MEN DIED OF ASPHYXIA AND BLUNT FORCE IN JURIES. L DRILLING RIG. THE RIG HAD BEEN DRYDOCKED AT A SHIPYARD FOR REPAIRS. THE BALLAS T TUBE WAS HOLLOW AND ABOUT 108 FEET LONG. THE INSIDE DIAMETER WAS 10 FEET. THE TUBE WAS DIVIDED VERTICALLY INTO THREE COMPARTMENTS. THE MEN TESTED THE AIR IN T HE ACCESS COLUMN AND DESCENDED A 24 FOOT FIXED LADDER TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FIRST COMPARTMENT. THEY THEN REMOVED THE MANHOLE COVER FROM THE TOP OF THE SECOND COM PARTMENT AND TESTED THE AIR THERE. IT WAS FOUND TO BE SAFE, SO EMPLOYEE #2 ENTER ED THE COMPARTMENT AND STARTED DOWN THE LADDER. AFTER HE HAD GONE ABOUT FIVE FEE T DOWN THE LADDER HE FELL THE REMAINING 32 FEET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE COMPARTMENT
Victims (2)
-
#1 Fatality Age 35 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 5
- Source
- 2
- Occupation code
- 59
- Human factor
- 4
- Environmental factor
- 15
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Fatality Age 39 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 5
- Source
- 2
- Occupation code
- 58
- Human factor
- 4
- Environmental factor
- 15
- Task assigned
- 1
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