Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Wyoming: Drilling Worker Struck by Falling Pipe in Wyoming, FACE-95-WY-001.

摘要

A 21 year old male oilfield worker died from injuries suffered when an elevator unexpectedly disconnected from a length of pipe being lowered onto a pipe trailer during removal from a 320' well for conversion from a pumping well to a submersible well. The victim was operating the elevators from a position directly below the pipe when it fell, striking him in the head. The victim was working with his brother in a family-run operation, and was not wearing a hard-hat at the time of the incident. No-one at the scene was trained or proficient in first aid. The co-worker notified the nearest ambulance service about 11 miles away from the incident site. The ambulance, Sheriff, and a registered nurse from a health-care facility responded, preparing the victim for transportation to a hospital approximately 40 miles from the incident site. After being stabilized, the victim was sent by air ambulance to a larger hospital over a distance of 136 miles. The victim died in the Emergency Room from severe traumatic brain injury approximately 21 hours after the incident occurred. Employers may be able to minimize the potential for occurrence of this type of incident through the following precautions: (1) Report all observed deficiencies in drilling equipment. (2) Require use of appropriate personal protective equipment at all times when working around oil well drilling rigs. (3) Provide periodic inspection of implements and apparatus involved in raising and lowering well tubing. (4) Locate operator controls on tube pulling units in an area clear of loads being raised or lowered.