What are DRILLING RIGS?

What are DRILLING RIGS?

•          Construction machinery which creates boreholes and shafts in the ground

•          Large equipment which creates holes for water wells, oil wells, or use for the extraction of natural gas

•          Can be used to test soil, rock material, groundwater

•          Used to install underground utilities, wells, tunnels, and other instruments

•          Can be powered by; electric, mechanic, pneumatic, or hydraulic

Why is safety a concern?

•          Owner’s will not invest in a project if the site is a “mine-field”

•          Can add considerable cost to a job if not safe environment

•          Most significantly, protects the welfare of the employees

Incidents

•          'three workers were using a drilling rig to install posts for a guardrail system at the side of the road. The mast of the rig contacted overhead primary power lines of 23,000 volts. The drill rig caught fire. One employee was killed (electrocution). Two employees were injured.

•          'a two man crew was drilling a water well on a residential building site. The drill rig had a drill head and a casing hammer on the mast of the rig. The victim was lowering the drill head when it contacted the casing hammer which was suspended by a wire rope cable. The cable broke causing the hammer to fall striking the victim in the head.

•          'an employee was drilling a hole through the foundation of a house. The drill was said to be double insulated. The drill bit contacted an energized conductor; and the employee, who was standing in water, was electrocuted.

•          Don’t drill metal objects into areas that contain electrical currents

•          Know your surroundings

•          'employee #1 was attempting to break out a 5 ft section of drill stem with a pipe wrench that had a welded handle. The operator of the drill stem was 10 ft away. As he attempted to reverse the drill stem, it inadvertently turned clockwise. The tool, which was placed on the drill stem, subsequently turned in a counterclockwise motion and struck employee #1 in the left side of the head. The employee was not wearing a hard hat. He died the following day.

•          Wear a hard hat

How to avoid accidents when drilling!!

1)      Are high voltage overhead power lines or any other utility lines present in  the area?

2)      CALL BEFORE YOU DIG! – identify all underground utilities

3)      Avoid instability around areas such as rivers, banks, or pits

4)      Make sure there is no danger of lightning strikes

5)      Make sure all personnel around and controlling the machine is trained and capable of performing their duties

6)      http://www.iadc.org/asp.htm

1)      Website of International Association of Drilling Contractors

2)      Contains Rigs Operations Rules & Official Guidelines

3)      Annual reports of rigging accidents