OSHA Inspection: AQUILA DRILLING COMPANY LP

Issued

Oct 3, 2007

Abate by

Oct 9, 2007

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,500

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 the condition(s) listed below:
Aquila Drilling Company LP, Rig 3, Dorothy Fay K-3, Martin County, TX.
For the period of
time up to and including 09/06/07, employees were exposed to struck-by
hazards due to the lack
of anti-two blocking or some other device that would positively prevent
the traveling block from
striking the crown block.  The rig was equipped with part of a
crown-o-matic, but it was not
fully functional.
API Recommended Practice 54, Third Edition, April 1999, titled
"Recommended Practice for
Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Drilling and Servicing Operations",
states
in Section 6,
Paragraph 6.3.2, "Well operations involving the rig shall not be commenced
until the rig is
rigged up in a safe manner."
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is
to equip the drilling rig(s) with anti-two blocking, crown-o-matics or
other positive devices that
will prevent the traveling block from making contact with the crown block.

Issued

Oct 3, 2007

Abate by

Oct 9, 2007

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,500

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 the condition(s) listed below:
Aquila Drilling Company LP, Rig 3, Dorothy Fay K-3, Martin County, TX.
For the period of
time up to and including 09/06/07, employees were exposed to fire /
explosion hazards due to
a contract welder using a cutting torch and conducting welding within
60-feet of the well head
without having fire fighting equipment nearby or a designated fire watch
present.
API Recommended Practice 54, Third Edition, April 1999, titled
"Recommended Practice for
Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Drilling and Servicing Operations",
states in Section 7,
Paragraph 7.2.6, "Fire fighting equipment shall be readily available near
all welding operations.
When welding or cutting operations are performed in locations other than
the designated welding
area, a person shall be designated as a fire watch."
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is
to ensure welding / cutting operations are only done in a designated area
and should be
coordinated with other activities at the location.s

Issued

Oct 3, 2007

Abate by

Nov 21, 2007

Penalty

Initial $825 · Current $825

Issued

Oct 3, 2007

Abate by

Oct 16, 2007

Penalty

Initial $1,375 · Current $1,375

Issued

Oct 3, 2007

Abate by

Oct 16, 2007

Penalty

Initial $825 · Current $825

Issued

Oct 3, 2007

Abate by

Oct 16, 2007

Issued

Oct 3, 2007

Abate by

Oct 10, 2007