Group Input for the Safety Case

Comments

1. Erik TUC says

   January 19, 2018 at 9:43 am

   Thank you for starting the discussion on safety. On a personal note, I feel the importance of HSE must have prevalent significance and is, among other things, a showpiece of professional work. Probably everyone has examples in mind, where shortcuts were taken or dangerous work procedures were neglected that led to negative consequences.

   After reading through your post I wanted to add some approaches that have worked for us quite well:

   1. Conducting an in depth safety analysis of the equipment and work procedures.
   – a periodically reviewed analysis on paper to identify hazards and improve safety performance.
   Items to be reviewed can be taken from the before mentioned list in the post above and added to as required (PPE requirements, WHMIS,…).
   -Review of repetitive work procedures

   2. Pre-job safety meeting.
   – discussion of upcoming work, assigning tasks, identification of hazards, developing strategies to eliminate or reduce hazards, informing personnel, establishing lockout-procedures,…

   • Drillbotics says

     January 19, 2018 at 3:46 pm

     Thanks, Eric. Good points. I agree this is a process that should be very effective. When you used this method earlier, can you share some of the specific cases that you identified? Recognizing the hazards is the first step, and more minds working on the problem should identify issues that may have been overlooked.

2. Andy Wu says

   March 15, 2018 at 7:01 pm

   Hi,
   Thanks for creating this post that highlights the importance of safety. It’s definitely an aspect that is overlooked by many design teams or engineering in general. It’s fantastic that many projects are seeing HSE as one of the top priorities. A lot of preventable accidents can avoided by simply ensure that a safety culture is fostered, and the team is in constant communication about safety at all times. Safety should never be an afterthought.
   It looks like you’ve covered most of the potential safety issues associated with any of these drilling rigs, so I can comment on some of the mitigations that teams can implement to either prevent or reduce the chance of these risks occurring:

   Construction Activities
   – Ensure that a safety/kickoff meeting is conducted prior to the start of the project with the entire team to ensure that everyone is aligned with any initial risks and are aware with the potential hazards that are associated with the rig
   – Ensure that daily safety meetings are conducted to realign crew on safety, and add any learnings from the previous day’s work activities, if any
   – All crew members should don appropriate PPE. Standard PPE for an industrial site includes a hard hat, appropriate impact gloves (or cut resistant), safety glasses, safety boots, and fireproof coveralls (if required). Might be a hassle, but can save your life
   – Ensure a pre-job inspection of the work site is conducted prior to any work being done, to check if job conditions have changed or any unexpected risks have risen (spills, weather, knocked over equipment, etc)

   Heavy Objects
   – Standard lifting practices require 2 persons for lifting any object over 25kg to prevent excessive strain
   – Identify potential pinch points in the daily safety meeting with crew. Never attempt to lift a heavy object alone
   Rotating Systems
   – No loose clothing or gloves should be worn when using rotating equipment
   – Guards should be installed on any rotating shafts or open areas where a body part could fit
   – Loose wiring or equipment should be properly secured immediately
   High Pressure Systems
   – Ensure all equipment and tubing are properly rated for the highest possible pressure that the system can reach, including overpressure situations
   – PPE such as safety glasses are essential for protecting eyes in the case of a liquid discharge
   Electrical Systems
   – Appropriately rated voltage gloves or other arc flash gear should be worn as required, according to the possible electrical output of the system
   – Power off systems not in use, and at the end of the work day

   Fire
   – During the pre job site inspection, ensure that any flammable objects are identified to the entire crew
   – Have fire extinguishers present at the work site at all times, and ensure crew knows how to properly use
   – Fireproof coveralls as PPE
   For the drilling rig specifically, it is also beneficial to include a safety review of all systems, especially any automated ones. For example, simple aspects such as LEDs to identify when the system is ON, or when a rotating part is running is very useful to anyone at the drilling site to be aware of the risk involved. There are many cases where personnel believe that a machine is off, when it is actively running, and an accident occurs.

3. Drillbotics says

   March 15, 2018 at 8:18 pm

   I want to add some other items that you should consider:

   You have a rotating drillstring that is subject to considerable vibration. There may be a slipring and sensors in the area as well. Please install the proper guards around the derrick enclosure to stop any debris that could be ejected.

   Also, during construction, are there procedures in place that give you immediate access to first aid in the case someone is hurt? Similarly when visitors or judges are present?

   Depending on your choices of equipment, consider any excess radiation. When manufactures certify their equipment as safe, they must comply with such regulations. For you, this is more a technical issue than a safety one, because it can affect communications equipment.

   Have you thought about the effects of working late hours, becoming very tired, and how that may impact your driving ability. Many teams work very late the last few days prior to the test. Plan on a safe ride home.