BSEE Safety Alert No. 459: Training, JSAs and Stop Work Authority

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​The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has issued Safety Alert No. 459 — Lack of training with Hydraulic Torque Wrench contributes to fatality aboard drill ship.

The Incident

The Summary of the Alert reads,

During well operations, a fatality occurred on a drillship in the Gulf of Mexico.

While unlatching the lower Marine Riser Package from the Blowout Preventor in preparation for ship relocation, a crewmember was lifted into the air after being struck by a hydraulic torque wrench (HTW), hitting a riser clamp approximately six feet above the elevated work deck before falling to the rig floor. The crewmember was given first aid and transported to the drillship’s hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Discussion

BSEE attributes the causes of the incident to inadequate training, lack of communication to with Job Safety Analysis (JSA), and failure to use Stop Work Authority.

Training

BSEE argues that, if the technician had been better trained, he would have been aware of the dangers associated with hydraulic torque wrenches. 

Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

We are not told about the JSAs that may have been carried out at the start of the assignment. If a JSA was conducted, it clearly did not identify the risks to do with hydraulic torque wrenches.

Stop Work Authority

If the technician had decided to stop the task when he first ran into difficulties, and then asked for support, the incident may not have occurred. (In our discussions to do with the proposed updates to the OSHA process safety standard we discuss the best use of Stop Work Authority, and also the times when stopping work could actually increase the risk of an accident.)