OSHA Inspection: ENSIGN UNITED STATES DRILLING, INC.

Issued

2025-08-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-09-12 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $16550.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

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:  (a)	Ensign United States Drilling, Inc. dba Ensign Well Servicing, Rig 358, 40.388034, -104.88030712909, in the vicinity of 28th Street, Greeley, CO 80634: On or about March 9, 2025, the employer did not protect day shift employees from being struck by tubing stands in that an employee was allowed to work in a restricted area while racking back tubing stands.  The employee was assisting and positioning tubing stands that were being lowered by the elevator so it could be placed vertically onto a mat.    (b)	Ensign United States Drilling, Inc. dba Ensign Well Servicing, Rig 358, 40.388034, -104.88030712909, in the vicinity of 28th Street, Greeley, CO 80634: On or about March 9, 2025, the employer did not protect night shift employees from being struck by tubing stands in that an employee was allowed to work in a restricted area while racking back tubing stands.  An employee was struck-by tubing while he was assisting and positioning a tubing stand that was being lowered by the elevator so it could be placed vertically onto a mat.   Abatement Note:  Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to control this hazard is to ensure employees are not entering restricted areas while high-risk operations are being conducted and to develop and implement a zone management procedure for workover rig operations to include, but not limited to responsibilities of workover rig employees related to zone management, procedures for authorized entry into restricted areas, definitions of different zone classifications, and procedures for correctly identifying and marking different zone classifications. The employer must ensure that all workover rig employees are trained and understand the zone management procedure.