OSHA Inspection: MERCER WELL SERVICE RIG #48

Issued

2009-10-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2009-10-14 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1500.00 · Current $1275.00 Reduced

Issued

2009-10-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2009-10-14 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1200.00 · Current $1200.00

Issued

2009-10-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2009-10-14 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3000.00 · Current $3000.00

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
from elevated heights within well service rig derricks:
On or about Apr 14, 2009, and times prior to, at the Price TX site of
Mercer Well Service
Rig #48, an employee worked from the rod basket without a deployed
emergency escape
descent device available for use.  An employee was exposed to a potential
fall from the
tubing board in the event of a fire or explosions at the well service rig
platform.
RECOMMENDATION: Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement
method to correct this hazard would be to secure the anchor and place it
at a minimum
distance from the derrick or mast two times the height of the work
platform and the anchor
should be able withstand a pull of at least 3,000 pounds, 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, Section 6.10.1, Auxiliary Escape.
MERCER WELL SERVICE INC., WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION OF
THIS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD OR ITS EQUIVALENT
STANDARD OSHA ACT 5(A)(1) WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN OSHA INSPECTION
NUMBER 309575561 CITATION 1 ITEM 1, ISSUED ON 3/31/2008, WITH RESPECT TO
A WORKPLACE LOCATED AT MERCER RIG #30, LONGVIEW, TEXAS.