Alert 04 – 26 Fall Protection Devices
WHAT HAPPENED:
The oil and gas industry has recently experienced several incidents involving fall protection devices. Self Retracting Life Lines (SRL) and/or Full Body Harnesses have become entangled on elevators or traveling blocks causing derrick men to be pulled down from tubing or monkey boards or as in one case the derrickman was lifted off the monkey board. Another incident occurred when the SRL was attached to the underside of the crown. The wind caused the line to extend out into the top drive rollers. As the top drive was lowered, the line pulled the derrickman down, but fortunately the line broke and the derrickman was still secured on the derrick board by the tail rope of his belly belt. All of these incidents had the potential of being more severe than the actual results of a Near Miss, Rig Incident, For Record Only, or First Aid By Professional.