OSHA Inspection: LIBERTY SWABBING INC.

Issued

Mar 7, 2012

Abate by

Apr 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $4,200

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 from the unexpected and sudden release
of well pressure:
On or about September 9, 2011, at this oilfield well site, employees were
exposed
to hazards related to the sudden release of high-pressure well gas and the
catastrophic overpressure failure of attached workover (wireline)
equipment.
Among others, one feasible and accepted means of abatement would be to:
a.develop a job safety analysis (JSA) program for planned jobs at remote
customer work sites and implementation between multiple present
employers prior to the beginning of work, in accordance with API RP 76-
2004 - "Contractor Safety Management for Oil and Gas Drilling and
Production Operations"
b.develop and implement written work procedures for routine tasks,
including but not limited to, the relieving (bleeding down) of well
pressures to a safe level immediately prior to connecting and operating
associated workover equipment, in accordance with API RP 54-1999
(R2007) - "Recommended Practice for Occupational Safety for Oil and
Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations"
c.develop and implement written work procedures to prevent the operating
of piping, hoses, valves, etc. at pressures greater than their rated
working
pressures, in accordance with API RP 54-1999 (R2007) - "Recommended
Practice for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and
Servicing Operations", Section 9.13.