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What happened?
A geotechnical survey vessel had just completed a borehole and the drilling team commenced recovery of the drill string.
At the time of the incident the injured person (IP) was standing centrally on the drill pipe stack, whilst aligning the pipe with a pinch bar.
One section of the drill pipe moved resulting in weight displacement.
The IP misjudged the movement, causing the pinch bar to slip backwards as the pipe rolled into place.
The pinch bar consequently came into contact with the IP’s right cheek, resulting in a laceration.
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Why did it happen?
Incorrect working method and failure to follow correct working procedure for stacking the drill pipe on the back deck. The correct procedure involves reversing drill string deployment during recovery, using head and tail winches for efficiency.
There was no stop for safety enforced at the time of the incident.
The tools utilised were defective.
Poor decision making contributed to the incident.
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What did they learn?
Ensure correct procedures are followed.
Personnel should not be positioned on the drill pipe stack during the stacking process and should use the correct tools for their tasks.
Emphasize the importance of reversing drill string deployment during recovery. The winches should be used to align and stack the pipe in the rack.
Using a pinch bar on the drill floor should be prohibited.
Always enforce a stop for safety procedure.
Plan and implement refresher training to ensure everyone is well-prepared.
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Ask yourself or your crew
How can incidents like the one described could occur during our operations, and what factors contribute to their likelihood?
What would you do if you observed someone working in an unsafe manner or with the wrong tools/equipment?
What steps can we take to enhance our drill string recovery processes and ensure adherence to correct procedures?
What additional measures can we implement to create a culture of safety and continuous improvement in our operations?
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What happened?
A geotechnical survey vessel had just completed a borehole and the drilling team commenced recovery of the drill string.
At the time of the incident the injured person (IP) was standing centrally on the drill pipe stack, whilst aligning the pipe with a pinch bar.
One section of the drill pipe moved resulting in weight displacement.
The IP misjudged the movement, causing the pinch bar to slip backwards as the pipe rolled into place.
The pinch bar consequently came into contact with the IP’s right cheek, resulting in a laceration.
Why did it happen?
Incorrect working method and failure to follow correct working procedure for stacking the drill pipe on the back deck. The correct procedure involves reversing drill string deployment during recovery, using head and tail winches for efficiency.
There was no stop for safety enforced at the time of the incident.
The tools utilised were defective.
Poor decision making contributed to the incident.
What did they learn?
Ensure correct procedures are followed.
Personnel should not be positioned on the drill pipe stack during the stacking process and should use the correct tools for their tasks.
Emphasize the importance of reversing drill string deployment during recovery. The winches should be used to align and stack the pipe in the rack.
Using a pinch bar on the drill floor should be prohibited.
Always enforce a stop for safety procedure.
Plan and implement refresher training to ensure everyone is well-prepared.
Ask yourself or your crew
How can incidents like the one described could occur during our operations, and what factors contribute to their likelihood?
What would you do if you observed someone working in an unsafe manner or with the wrong tools/equipment?
What steps can we take to enhance our drill string recovery processes and ensure adherence to correct procedures?
What additional measures can we implement to create a culture of safety and continuous improvement in our operations?
A geotechnical survey vessel completed a borehole, and during the recovery of the drill string, an injury occurred. The injured person (IP) was aligning the drill pipe with a pinch bar when a section of the pipe moved, causing a weight displacement. The IP misjudged the movement, leading to the pinch bar slipping backward as the pipe rolled into place. This resulted in contact between the pinch bar and the IP's right cheek, causing a laceration.
