Failing to wear seatbelts cost one driver his life in a rollover that also injured the passenger.

What happened?

A company vehicle left the road and rolled over. Two of the occupants were ejected; one was killed and the other was seriously injured.

Company safety records revealed that approximately three months prior, the company experienced another rollover incident in which an employee was killed after being thrown from a company vehicle. In both incidents, the vehicle occupants were not wearing seatbelts at the time.

What caused the death?

Driver and passenger were not wearing seatbelts.

Corrective actions:

To address this incident, the company did the following:

• Established a transportation program where management staff were the only people allowed to drive company vehicles while transporting personnel.
• Notified personnel that the company seatbelt policy would be strictly enforced on lease roads as well as public highways.
• Instituted a driver training program for designated drivers.
• Instituted a monthly safety meeting program with employees and operator personnel.

Driller Falls Through Floor Opening

An oil rig driller died from head trauma after falling through an opening in the drilling floor.

How it happened:

?While rigging up, the crew worked on the drilling floor with unguarded openings because four floor panels were not available for installation. The crew erected the derrick without the panels. At one point the victim and his co-workers were coiling the legs of the bridle line when a socket assembly fell through an opening, causing the coils to start moving. The line caught the feet of the victim and dragged him over the opening. He struck his head on the edge and fell 27 feet to the ground.

The conclusion:

To prevent a recurrence, investigators recommended the following:

• Ensure all employees working at elevated heights are equipped with and utilize fall protection.
• Do not expose workers to unguarded floor openings.
• Implement and enforce a safety program that includes safe operating procedures for all drilling operations.
• Ensure all employees are trained properly to recognize and control hazards on the job.