Alert 06 – 28 Sling Parted and Dropped Drill Pipe
WHAT HAPPENED:
An employee was struck in the head by 5” drill pipe when the lifting sling parted. This resulted in sutures to the forehead and a severe sprain to the ankle. The crew was picking up and racking back 5” drill pipe. The roustabout crew positioned six joints of 5” drill pipe on 4” x 4” boards onto the catwalk. The roustabout crew attached the lifting caps into the six joint of pipe and the Deck Coordinator signaled the drill floor flagger to hoist the six joints of drill pipe. As the dill pipe was being hoisted up the V-door, the pin end of a single joint of drill pipe rolled off the catwalk and became wedged between the pipe rack stanchion and catwalk. The Deck Coordinator signaled the rig floor to STOP; which they did. The remaining (5) joints of pipe slid forward towards the V-door, which placed excessive tension on the sling that was secured to the wedged joint of pipe. This added tension parted the sling. The injured roustabout was positioning himself at the bottom of the V-Door to insert the pipe stop. The joint of drill pipe fell down the side of the V-Door and struck the employee in the head. This incident resulted in a Restricted Day Case, but the potential for greater injury was high.