1.2 MI WEST OF GRAND CANE, LA — 2010-02-02 00:00:00

OSHA Inspection: BRONCO DRILLING COMPANY INC.

Planned inspection · Safety discipline

At a glance

On 2010-02-02 00:00:00, OSHA opened a planned safety inspection of BRONCO DRILLING COMPANY INC. in RIG #21 HWY 3015, 1.2 MI WEST OF GRAND CANE, LA 71032 (NAICS 213112). OSHA activity number 313028987.

What this inspection record means

OSHA opens inspections for many reasons — routine scheduling under a national or local emphasis program, an employee complaint or referral, or a follow-up after a reported injury. Opening or conducting an inspection is not itself an allegation or a finding that this employer broke any rule; any findings appear as the citations listed below, and citations can be contested, reduced, or withdrawn.

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Where did this inspection happen?

Establishment: BRONCO DRILLING COMPANY INC.
Site address: RIG #21 HWY 3015
City: 1.2 MI WEST OF GRAND CANE
State: LA
ZIP: 71032
Mailing: 16217 N. MAY, EDMOND, OK 73013

What kind of inspection was it?

Inspection type: Planned (H)
Scope: Partial (B)
Discipline: Safety
Advance notice: No
Union status: N

When did the case open and close?

Opened: 2010-02-02 00:00:00
Closing conference: 2010-02-02 00:00:00
Case closed: 2010-07-27 00:00:00
Last modified: 2010-07-27 00:00:00
Data loaded: 2011-10-14 16:38:47

Establishment context

NAICS code: 213112
SIC code (legacy): 1389
Employees: 11
Ownership type: A
Industry flags: Manufacturing safety.

Citations

7 citations on file for this inspection.

5(a)(1)

Serious Gravity 10 1 instance 2 exposed

Issued: May 6, 2010
Abate by: May 12, 2010
Penalty: Initial $5,000

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish to each of his employees a place of employment which was 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 hazard of fire or explosion resulting from
the following
condition:
a)  On or about February 2, 2010, at the platform of Bronco Drilling Rig #
21, Eight 5-gallon
containers of Methanol, a flammable liquid, located immediately next to
the motor room.  This
exposed employees to the hazard of fire and explosion from flammable
vapors reaching an
ignition source inside the motor room.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is
to ensure that flammable liquids are stored in an area free of all
ignition
sources as reccomended
by the American Petroleum Institute RP 54 Section 8.4.2 which states:
"Paint and solvents
should be stored in an adequately ventilated areas safely away from heat
and ignition sources.
Containers that are labeled "flammable" should be properly stored when not
in use."  AND API
RP 54 Section 6.3.2 which states: "Well operations involving the rig shall
not be commenced
until the rig is rigged up in a safe manner."
DISCLAIMERS:
1) You are not limited to the abatement methods suggested above.
2) The methods explained are general and may not be effective in all cases.
3) The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out an
appropriate method.
5(a)(1) Justification
HAZARD:
Burns and/or death from fire or explosion.  Employees working on the
drilling rig were exposed
to a potential explosion in the event that flammable vapors from the
methanol drums diffused
to reach an ignition source.  In this instance, the drums were located
just outside of the motor
room, which contains potential ignition sources.
HAZARD IS RECOGNIZED.
Oil and gas drilling operations are Class I locations indicating that
precautions must be taken to
prevent fire and explosion by careful control of fuels and ignition
sources.  In addition the
American Petroleum Institute has recognized the hazard of flammable liquid
storage in it's RP
54 document.
HAZARD WAS CAUSING OR WAS LIKELY TO CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS PHYSICAL
HARM:
Should the fuel (methanol vapors) reach an ignition source (in the motor
room), an explosion
may ensue in that area and spread to other areas containing flammable
vapors.  Employees atany point on the drilling rig were potentially
exposed to severe burns and or death from an
explosion.
HAZARD CAN BE CORRECTED BY A FEASIBLE AND USEFUL METHOD:
Proper storage of flammable liquids is a common, feasible abatement method
used to prevent
the diffusion of flammable vapors in areas potentially containing ignition
sources.

Recent events (2)

2010-06-01 00:00:00 — I (S)
2010-05-06 00:00:00 — Z (S) $5000.00