Alert 04 – 04 Lanyard Caught in Kelly Results in a Fatality
WHAT HAPPENED:
A rig worker was fatally injured after his 6-foot lanyard was wrapped around the Kelly bar. The daylight crew were in the process of drilling surface hole. A cableused during slip and cut operations had become unsecured and was hanginginside the derrick. The Motorman volunteered to secure the cable to the derrickgirt. The worker was wearing a full body harness with a 6-foot rope lanyard attached to his shock absorber.
The Driller, standing at the driller controls, watched the worker complete the task.The rotary table was slowed down as the worker was positioned at the girt. Oncethe worker completed the task the Driller resumed rotating at 130 RPM. As theworker climbed down the derrick ladder the Driller walked across the floor toadjust his weight indicator. The Motorman walked across the rig floor over towardthe Driller positioned at the weight indicator (mud tank side of floor or off-driller’s side). The Driller heard the Motorman speak and turned toward the rotary table.The Motorman stood on the corner of the rotary table (mud tank side), his lanyardwrapped around the Kelly bar (Kelly rotating 130 RPM). The lanyard was floatingaround the Kelly bar but did not grab. The Driller immediately ran to the driller console, the inertia brake was engaged and both clutches for the drawworkskicked out. The Driller witnessed the lanyard tighten to the Kelly bar and theMotorman pulled into the bushing.