OSHA Inspection: NABORS DRILLING USA, INC. RIG #322

Issued

Sep 1, 1998

Abate by

Sep 9, 1998

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

General-duty citation text

Section(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 hazardous heat stress.
On May 7, 1998, employees performing heavy work at Nabors Drilling Rig
#322, located approximately 0.4 miles South of Park Road 46, Falcon
Heights,
Texas, while performing rig down operations were exposed to heat stress.
The
ambient air temperature recorded in this area reached an afternoon high of
110
degrees Fahrenheit.  This resulted in an employee sustaining a heat
stroke, a
serious heat-related illness, and subsequently dying on May 9, 1998.
Feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard include:
a.Establishing provisions for a work/rest regimen so that exposure time
to high temperatures is decreased and/or work rate is decreased, and/or
rest periods are increased in length and frequency.
b.Providing adequate amounts of cool potable drinking water in the work
areas for employees and encouraging all workers to frequently drink.
c.Initiating a heat acclimatization program to increase heat tolerance by
new workers and workers returning to a job after more than one week
away.
d.Providing a cool area for heat-affected employees to rest and cool down
when symptoms of heat illness are recognized in or reported by
employees.
e.Having trained personnel available at the worksite to treat workers that
develop signs or symptoms of a serious heat-related illness, i.e. a heat
stroke.
f.Maintaining ice or iced water in adequate amounts for immediate first-
aid to heat stroke victim(s).
g.Initiating a continuing training program to inform workers of:
1.The hazards of heat-related illness(s),
2.The predisposing factors and relevant signs and symptoms of
heat injury and illness,
3.The potential health affects of excessive heat stress and of heat-
related illness first-aid procedures,
4.The importance of immediate reporting to onsite management
personnel of the development of signs or symptoms of heat-
related illness observed in or reported by employees,
5.The importance of immediate administration of appropriate first-
aid to workers reporting or displaying symptoms of heat-related
illness,
6.The effect of therapeutic and social drugs (including alcohol)
that may increase the risk of heat injury or illness by reducing
heat tolerance.
*** Certification and Documentation of Abatement required
***