The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) issued a safety alert regarding the investigation of an incident at a Gulf production facility that could potentially have resulted in a worker injury or fatality.
During a facility walkthrough, operator personnel had identified grating near a skid as a hazard due to corrosion and installed hard barricades to prevent access.
However, shortly thereafter, operator personnel installed two scaffolding boards on top of the previously identified grating hazard and removed the hard barricades so work could proceed.
A worker tasked with installing a pump in the skid above the unsafe grating was kneeling on the scaffolding boards with the tip of his boots resting on the grating when the corroded section of grating suddenly gave way.
The worker was able to quickly react, grabbing hold of a nearby section of piping to support himself. Upon further inspection, the worker later realized the 36 by 36-inch piece of grating beneath the scaffolding boards he was kneeling on had collapsed and fallen into the water.
Following the incident, operator personnel placed additional boards over the resulting open hole in the grating but did not install hard barricades or identify the area as a hazard. Hard barricades were later reinstalled, and the grating was subsequently replaced.
Lessons learned
- Conduct a thorough walkthrough of the facility to identify open holes and check that potentially unsafe surfaces can safely support the weight of individuals working on or around them. If such an area or open hole is identified, ensure it has been properly barricaded and/or covered.
- Review internal and contractor Safe Work Practices to ensure that operations personnel clearly understand the requirements and expectations for the use of barricades. Effective hard barricades should be rigid, immovable structures that create a barrier to restrict access to hazardous or unsafe areas.
- Ensure that management of safety hazards and environmental impacts is an integral part of the design, construction, maintenance, operation, and monitoring of each facility.
- You must inform your contractors of any known hazards at the facility they are working on, including but not limited to fires, explosions, slips, trips, falls, other injuries, and hazards associated with lifting operations.
