OSHA Inspection: CHEYENNE DRILLING, INC.

Issued

Aug 30, 2002

Abate by

Sep 12, 2002

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $3,000 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.  Employees were exposed to a fall hazard while working from the
derrick of a rotary
drilling rig without fall protection.  On August 10, 2002, at a worksite
located 2.5 miles south
of Rhome, TX,  an employee was fatally injured when working from the
derrick of Cheyenne
Rig No. 6 while attempting to retrieve a stand of pipe that had slipped
across the derrick away
from the derrickhand's working platform.  The worker fell approximately 86
feet onto the rig
floor.
Among other methods, some feasible and acceptable methods to correct this
hazard are:
1.Follow the recommended practices listed in the American Petroleum
Institute
(API) Recommended Practice (RP) 54, 3rd Edition, August 1999.  RP 54 is the
"Recommended Practice for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling
and Servicing Operations."  Section 5.5 of RP 54 addresses fall
protection.
2.Utilize fall protection while working/maneuvering around the derrick.
Forms of
fall protection that may be utilized include, but are not limited to:
a)A personal fall arrest system utilizing a self-retracting lifeline
(SRL) connected to the back D-ring of a full body harness with a
shock absorbing lanyard meeting and/or exceeding the
requirements of ANSI Z359.1;
b)A full body harness equipped with a shock absorbing lanyard that
is equipped with a double leg lanyard with two distinct self-locking
snap hooks that would permit the worker to move around the
derrick while remaining tied off at all times.