OSHA Inspection: PADRE DRILLING COMPANY, INC. RIG #8

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2500.00 · Current $1500.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

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 fire and explosion:
Employee was exposed to the hazard of fire and explosion due to the
improper
rigging of the Geronimo Emergency Escape Line and installation of the
Geronimo
Emergency Escape Device on the Geronimo Emergency Escape Line due to:
a.Geronimo Emergency Escape Device was rigged approximately ten (10)
feet above the floor of the pipe racking board which is approximately
seventy (70) feet above ground level with no means of safe access to the
Geronimo Emergency Escape Device, i.e. employee would have to climb
the East derrick leg in order to use the Geronimo Emergency Escape
Device.
b.The Geronimo Emergency Escape Line was installed improperly, i.e. in
such  a manner which was too steep and which did not allow for adequate
slack in order to allow the employee with enough travel distance in order
to stop twenty (20) to twenty-five (25) feet prior to the anchoring point
as
recommended by Geronimo Manufacturing, Inc.
c.The Geronimo Emergency Escape Line was anchored improperly, i.e. the
Geronimo Emergency Escape Line was wrapped around an upright steel
rod on the West end of the skid with two (2) half hitches and then
wrapped around the roll bar of the skid with there being no Crosby
clamps installed on the live end of the escape line.
This occurred on or about June 18, 1996 on Padre Drilling Company, Inc.,
Rig
Number 8.  Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement
method
to correct this hazard would be installation of a properly rigged and
secured
emergency descent device or other satisfactory auxiliary means of egress,
such
as specified in Section 5, Sub-Section 5.7, Paragraph 5.7.l of American
Petroleum Institute (API) RP 54-92, page 12.  Essential elements of this
procedure would include:
1.Staking out a securely anchored one-half inch wire rope escape line
attached to the derrick or mast so as to provide a ready and convenient
means of escape from the Derrickman's working platform.
2.The escape line route is to be kept clear of obstructions.
3.A safety device is to be provided to permit fast emergency exit from the
Derrickman's working platform to a safe place.
4.The tension on the escape line is to be periodically checked and adjusted
to assure a safe landing and to allow the Derrickman to stop twenty (20)
to twenty-five (25) feet from the anchor point.
5.The ground anchor point of the escape line is to be located a minimum
lateral distance from the derrick or mast equal to the height above ground
level to the point where the escape line is fastened.

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2500.00 · Current $1500.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

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 hazard of being struck by:
Employees were exposed to the hazard of being struck by:
a.Rotary hose with the hammer connection union and four (4) inch nipple
falling from the standpipe as a result of not having implemented at least
a semi-annual inspection program or procedure which would require the
four (4) inch nipple which threads into the gooseneck at the standpipe be
removed and the threads inspected at both ends and then rethreaded into
the standpipe gooseneck.
b.The employer failed to secure the wire rope/chain to the Manufacturer
provided lug on the gooseneck of the rotary swivel for securing the upper
part of the rotary hose, hammer connection union and the four (4) inch
nipple to prevent them from falling.
API Spec 8A, Eleventh Edition, May l, 1985, Page 8, Section 5,
SubSection
5.4, Paragraph 5.4.l. "Swivels having gooseneck connections of
two (2) inches and larger shall be provided with a suitable lug containing
a l-l/8 inch hole to accommodate the clevis of a chain having a breaking
strength of 16,000 pounds.  The location of the lug is at the choice of the
manufacturer.
API Specification 8C (Spec 8C), First Edition, January l, 1990,
Supplement l (January l, 1992), Page 26, Section 7, Sub-Section 7.9,
Paragraph 7.9.6  "Gooseneck connections shall be provided with a suitable
lug containing an l-l/2 inch (28mm) diameter hole to accommodate the
clevis of a chain having a breaking strength of 16,000 pounds (7250kg).
The location of the lug is at the choice of the manufacturer."  Paragraph
7.10.5  "Rotary hose safety chain attachments shall meet the requirements
of Section 7.9.6.
c.Fragmented parts of the Oteco safety relief valve rupturing, i.e. Oteco
safety relief valve had not been maintained or inspected to determine its
operability and integrity in accord with the requirement API RP54-92.
API RP54-92, Page 20, Section 8, Sub-Section 8.13, Paragraph 8.13.3,
"In normal operations, pumps, piping, hoses, valves, and other fittings
shall not be operated at pressures greater than their rated working
pressure
and shall be maintained in good operating condition.  Test pressures shall
not exceed the design test pressure.  Pumps, piping, hoses and safety
relief devices shall be of a design that meets requirements of the
operating
conditions to be encountered."API RP54-92, Page 20, Section 8, Sub-Section
8.13, Paragraph 8.13.4
"Safety relief devices shall be set to discharge at a pressure equal to or
less than the rated working pressure of any pump, piping, hose or fitting
that the devices protect."
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct
this hazard is to implement a maintenance and inspection program as
addressed
in:
API RP54-92, Section 8, Sub-Section 8.2, Paragraph 8.2.l, Page 16;
Section 8, Sub-Section 8.13, Paragraph 8.13.3 and Paragraph 8.13.4,
Page 20;  API Specification 7, Thirty-seventh Edition, August l, 1990,
Section 17, Paragraph 17.7, Page 56;  API Spec 8A, Eleventh Edition,
May l, 1985, Page 8, Section 5, Sub-Section 5.4;  API RP8B, Fourth
Edition, April 1979, Page 8-10, Figure 4.11, Page C-10;  API
Specification 8C (Spec 8C), First Edition, January l, 1990, Supplement l
(January l, 1992), Page 26, Section 7, Sub-Section 7.9, Paragraph 7.9.6
and Paragraph 7.10.5.
The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Drilling
Manual, Section H4, Page l, ROTARY HOSE AND SWIVELS
INSPECTIONS which states., "All hoisting tools on the rotary drill rig
must have daily inspections followed by monthly and quarterly (more
frequent if severe operating conditions or loading is imposed) shutdown
inspections." and "in normal operations, pumps, piping, hoses, valves and
other fittings shall not be operated at pressures greater than their rated
working pressure and shall be maintained in good operating condition.
Test pressures shall not exceed the design test pressure.  Pumps, piping,
hoses and safety relief devices shall be of a design that meets
requirements
of the operating conditions to be encountered, such as specified by API
RP54-92, Page 20, Paragraph 8.13.3."  This alleged condition occurred
on or about June 18, 1996.

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2500.00 · Current $1500.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1250.00 · Current $750.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $750.00 · Current $450.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2500.00 · Current $1500.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2500.00 · Current $1500.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $750.00 · Current $450.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $750.00 · Current $450.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2500.00 · Current $1500.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2500.00 · Current $1500.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2500.00 · Current $1500.00 Reduced

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-26 00:00:00

Issued

1996-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1996-09-22 00:00:00