OSHA Inspection: PATTERSON-UTI DRILLING RIG #438

Issued

2008-05-20 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-06-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1300.00 · Current $780.00 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 working
with damaged running wire rope in a drilling rig hoist:
On or about Feb 20, 2008 and times prior to, at the Drilling Rig #438
platform, an Ingersol-
Rand Hoist model HUL40 was being used with a frayed running rope.  The 5/8
inch
diameter wire rope had damaged portions of numerous broken outside wires.
Employees
were exposed to the hazard of being struck by potentially lost loads in
the event that the wire
rope was to break due appreciable loss of strength.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard
would be to thoroughly inspect all hoisting lines once each month, make a
record of the
monthly inspections designating any noted defects, and remove the wire
rope from service
when broken wires are found as specified in the American Petroleum
Institute Recommended
Practice for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and
Servicing Operations,
API Recommended Practice 54, Third Edition, August 1999, Sections 9.6.1,
and 9.6.2
Hoisting Lines and Other Wire Rope.