Alert 05 – 38 Ladder Incident – Driller Fractures Back and Wrist in Fall
WHAT HAPPENED:
A driller was positioned on an extension ladder inside the drilling rig’s substructure. He was attempting to tighten a fitting on a hydraulic hose with an 18-inch pipe wrench. The wrench slipped off the fitting, causing the driller to lose his footing on the ladder and fall to the rig matting below. The distance of the fall was less than three meters (9.8 feet); the pipe wrench was in good working order, there were no slippery substances on the rungs of the ladder; and the driller’s footwear was in good condition.