OSHA Inspection: STERLING DRILLING COMPANY

Issued

Feb 2, 2015

Abate by

Mar 6, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): OSH ACT of 1970 SECTION (5)(a)(1): 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:    Employees working at or near the drilling tongs were exposed to struck-by hazards from the uncontrolled rotational movement of the manual drilling tongs.  The shackle pin used to secure the wire rope snub line to the derrick, was the screw pin type and did not have a secondary means of securement to prevent the pin from separating from the shackle.    Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods of abatement would be to follow the American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practices in API RP 54, using a rotating pin type shackle, which has a secondary securement system, using a nut and cotter to secure the snub line to the derrick.  API Recommended Practices 54, Section 9.2.8 states "Bolts, nuts, and pins on elevators, wire rope, and catlines, as well as sheave and other anchor bolts in the derrick or mast should be secured".