OSHA Inspection: APPALACHIAN WELL SERVICES INC

Issued

Mar 17, 2010

Abate by

Mar 22, 2010

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $3,500 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 struck-by hazards:
a) East Resources Becker 404 1H Gas Well/Tioga County/Jackson Twp.PA:
Employees were exposed to struck-by hazards from an unsecured
chixsen/elbow joint
failure that connected long iron from a manifold trailer to the well head
failed, on or
about 11/06/09.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods to abate this hazard
is to:
1) Ensure all pressurized pipe and connections are secured with sling
straps or similar
devices to keep the iron under control in the event of a iron failure in
accordance with
American Petroleum Institute (API) RP 54 Recommended Practice for
Occupational Safety of
Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations Manual, page 20,
section 9.13.3. AND
2) Ensure all critical equipment, including pressurized pipe and
connections are, inspected
periodically as recommended by the manufacturer or in accordance with
recognized
engineering practices in accordance with American Petroleum Institute
(API) RP 54
Recommended Practice for Occupational Safety of Oil and Gas Well Drilling
and Servicing
Operations Manual, page 21, section 9.16.1.
ABATEMENT OBSERVED
NO CERTIFICATION REQUIRED