OSHA Inspection: HELMERICH & PAYNE INTERNATIONAL DRILLING CO.

Issued

Jun 2, 2003

Abate by

Jun 20, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $1,875

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:
Employee(s) exposed to the hazards of gas well blowouts, fire, derrick
collapse and falling;
employee(s) working as the derrick hands on a gas well drilling rig was
positioned on the derrick
with one main means of egress, the derrick ladder, and an emergency only
escape device as a
secondary means of egress.  The use of the derrick ladder could be blocked
by the noted
emergency hazards.  The use of the escape device was blocked or impeded by
the derrick
racking board wind walls and/or its guardrails due to its attachment to
the outside of the
guardrails.  The employee(s) could fall 64 feet to the drilling floor
trying to climb down the
outside guardrails and set on the device.  The escape device wire rope
line attachment to the
outside of the guardrails and to a 55 gallon drum of concrete could fail
dropping the escaping
employee(s) upwards of 80 feet to the ground.
Among other methods to provide a safe secondary means of egress would be
the installation of
a "Geronimo" line properly installed in accordance with manufacturer
instruction without
impediments to its use.  Employee(s) was exposed to the conditions while
drilling gas wells in
Latimer County, Oklahoma.

Issued

Jun 2, 2003

Abate by

Jun 5, 2003