OSHA Inspection: RELIANCE WELL SERVICE INC

Issued

Dec 1, 2004

Abate by

Dec 7, 2004

Penalty

Initial $1,925 · Current $1,155 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 burns and falls from the derrick platform:
a) On or about June 8, 2004 and in times past, the employer did not
provide for an
auxiliary means of escape for employees working the derrick platform.  An
incident requiring
the derrick man to occupy the derrick platform could arise at any time and
an auxiliary means
of escape was not provided on the rig located at the LeLand Schroeder Well
# 1 in Franklin TX.
In times prior to June 8, 2004 while the derrick man was in the derrick
platform the employer
did not provide for a auxiliary mean of escape. Since an incident
requiring the derrick man to
work in the derrick platform could arise at any time during the servicing
of a well, the auxiliary
means of escape would not have been available to the derrick man.  Among
other
methods,
recognized and feasible means to correct this hazard include, but are not
limited to the employer
could have followed the guidelines provided by the American Petroleum
Institute Recommended
Practice 54 6.10.1 which requires the installation of an auxiliary means
of escape prior to
personnel working in the derrick.

Issued

Dec 1, 2004

Abate by

Dec 7, 2004

Penalty

Initial $1,925 · Current $1,155 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 burns from a blowout at a well bore.
a) On or about June 8, 2004, the employer, Reliance Well Service Inc, did
not ensure
that blow out preventers ( BOP ) were inspected daily. The employer had
been installing pipe
to the well for the past two days without an accumulator positioned a safe
distance from the rig
floor. A blow out occurred at approximately 1330 hours and the gas ignited
burning several
employees. The snubbing supervisor closed the blind rams at the well to
stop the gas from
escaping and was also burned in the process.  Had the employer installed
the accumulator the
blind rams could have been closed from a safe distance. Among other
methods, recognized and
feasible means to correct this hazard include, but are not limited to, the
employer can follow the
recommendations of the American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice
54 6.4.7 which
states that blow out prevention equipment should be inspected daily. The
employer can also
install, at a safe distance from the rig, an accumulator to control the
opening and closing of the
controls to each preventer in the BOP stack.ter

Issued

Dec 1, 2004

Abate by

Dec 7, 2004

Penalty

Initial $1,925 · Current $1,155 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 burns from a fire as a result of a blow out at a well
site.
a) On or about June 8, 2004, the employer, Reliance Well Service Inc, did
not ensure
that weight indicator gauge was positioned near the drillers position on
the drilling rig. The
weight indicator shows both the hook load of the drill stem that is
hanging from the hook and
the weight that is placed on the bottom of the hole.  The weight indicator
gauge was positioned
below the drilling rig and had been positioned there in past jobs. Among
other methods,
recognized and feasible means to correct this hazard include, but are not
limited to, the employer
can follow the recommendations of the American Petroleum Institute
Recommended Practice 54
9.10.3 which states that weight indicator should be mounted so that the
gauge is easily visible
to the operator.

Issued

Dec 1, 2004

Abate by

Dec 7, 2004

Penalty

Initial $1,925 · Current $1,155 Reduced