OSHA Inspection: ESTIS WELL SERVICE, LLC

Issued

Aug 23, 2011

Abate by

Sep 9, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety & Health Act of 1970. The employer do
es not furnish to each of his employees a place of employment which are free fro
m recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physic
al harm in that the employees are exposed to hazards of being crushed or struck-
by a tipping well servicing rig: On or about March 9, 2011, and at times prior t
hereto, the employer did not
ensure that a workover rig used by employees during a well service operation was
set up and maintained in a condition that would prevent it from tipping. The em
ployer did not set up the rig in accordance with the manufacturer's operation ma
nual and where the manufacturer's instruction were not available did not use ind
ustry recognized practice to determine a safe guying pattern for Rig #23. Also,
the barge used as the foundation for Rig #23 took on water allowing the rig to b
ecome off level when water filled the barge compartment. Both of these condition
s exposed employees to hazards associated with a tipping well service rig. Among
other feasible methods to correct the identified hazard, one method would be to
assure the workover rig is rigged up in a safe manner in accordance with the ma
nufacturer's operation manual or by using American Petroleum Institutes (API)
Recommended Practice 54-99, Third Edition, August 1999, Recommended Practice for
Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations, sec
tion 6.3, Preliminary Rig-Up Operations and Recommended Practice 4G, Recommended
Practice for Use and Procedures for Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair of Dril
ling and Well Servicing Structures, section 13.3, Guy wire End Terminations and
Hardware. In cases where the manufacture instruction or the API does not fit the
employers rig installation need, a safe alternative would be to hire a third pa
rty engineer to approve a safe guying pattern. Additionally, when barges are use
d as a foundation for a workover rig, they are to be maintained so that they kee
p the derrick level by using permanent repairs to fix leaking compartments. Purs
uant to 29 C.F.R. 1903.19, within ten (10) calendar days of the abatement date,
the employer must submit documentation describing the actions it is taking to
establish, communicate, and implement written procedures to ensure all well serv
ice rigs under their control are rigged up and maintained in a manner that will
prevent the crushing and struck-by hazards associated with the tipping of those
rigs. The documentation will also address how the employer will ensure that empl
oyees are not exposed to this hazard while working on rigs that are owned or con
trolled by other companies

Issued

Aug 23, 2011

Abate by

Sep 9, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

Issued

Aug 23, 2011

Abate by

Sep 9, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

Issued

Aug 23, 2011

Abate by

Sep 9, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

Issued

Aug 23, 2011

Abate by

Sep 9, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

Issued

Aug 23, 2011

Abate by

Sep 9, 2011

Penalty

Initial $49,000 · Current $7,000 Reduced