OSHA Inspection: A-PLUS WELL SERVICE, INC.

Issued

Feb 2, 1999

Abate by

Mar 1, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $900 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 50-9-5(A), NMSA 1978 (New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety
Act):  Every
employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of
employment which
are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause
death or serious physical
harm to his employees.
A-Plus Well Service did not take appropriate measures to continuously
control the
pressures within the Allison Unit # 117 well located in Middle Mesa,
approximately 15
miles southeast of Ignacio, CO.  This hazard is recognized by the American
Petroleum
Institute, by other companies within the same industry, and by safety
professionals within
the industry.  Section 5.3.4 of the API Recommended Practice 54 (Second
Ed., May
1992) states that "if pressure is indicated in a well! . . . proper steps
should
be taken
to remove pressure or to operate safely under pressure before commencing
operations".
In a survey conducted with companies that perform the same work, the
safety managers
of these companies stated that they control the pressures within the well
at all times.
Two safety professionals also stated that the pressures within the well
must be secured
at all times.  As a result of the company not controlling the well at all
times, one
employee was killed and one other was seriously injured.  The hazard could
have been
corrected by attaching the BOP on to the well before backing out the jam
nuts.
Please develop and provide detailed procedures that employees will follow
when performing
well servicing that will allow them complete control of the well at all
times.  In addition,
please provide training records to show that the employees have been
trained, subsequent
to the accident, on the following:  1) training on the hazards encountered
while
performing
these operations and, 2) training on the procedures developed to reduce or
eliminate these
hazards.
Date Corrected                  Describe Corrective  Action :
I attest that all corrective actions contained in this document are
accurate and affected employees
have been informed of the abatement.Signature:                  Date: