Section R614-2-3 - Drilling Industry - General Safety and Health ProvisionsA. General Requirements. Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, hot surfaces, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation, or physical contact.
B. First Aid Supplies and Training. 1. Every operation subject to the provision of these orders shall at all times have a supply of first aid equipment (24 unit min.) which shall be conveniently located so as to be readily accessible. The first aid supplies shall be encased in suitable sanitary storage places so as to protect them from contamination, and the contents of the kits replenished as used.2. At least one employee at the work site shall be trained in first aid and rescue operations.3. First aid equipment shall be provided. This equipment shall be stored in sanitary places which are conveniently and accessibly located. First aid equipment shall include: one set of arm and leg splints; two all-wool blankets or blankets equal in strength and fire resistance; and one stretcher. Where harmful chemicals are being used, readily accessible facilities shall be available for rapid flushing of the eyes and/or skin areas.4. Provisions shall be made prior to commencement of the project for either prompt transportation of an injured person to a physician or hospital, or an effective communication system for contacting necessary ambulance service.5. The telephone numbers of the physician, hospitals, or ambulances shall be conspicuously posted.C. Housekeeping. Good housekeeping is the first law of accident prevention and shall be a primary concern of all supervisors and workers. An excessively littered or dirty work area will not be tolerated as it constitutes an unsafe, hazardous condition of employment.
D. Pressure Vessels and Boilers. 1. Pressure Vessels: Shall be built in accordance with the requirements for Unfired Pressure Vessels of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, pursuant to Section 34A-7-102.2. Boilers: Boilers provided by the employer shall be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of this rule when evidence of current and valid certification by an insurance company or regulatory authority attesting to the safe installation, inspection, and testing is presented.E. Employee-Owned Equipment. Where employees provide their own protective equipment, the employer shall be responsible to assure that it meets the appropriate American National Standard Institute or a national consensus standard.
F. Head Protection. 1. The employer shall require the use of Class A protective helmet (Safety Hard Hat) where there is a hazard from flying or falling objects.2. Where there is a risk of injury from hair entanglement in moving parts of machinery, employees shall confine their hair to eliminate the hazard.G. Eye and Face Protection. Employees shall be provided with eye and face protective equipment when machines or operations present potential eye or face injury from physical, chemical, or radiation agents.
H. Respiratory Protection. 1. When necessary appropriate respiratory protective devices shall be provided by the employer and shall be used.2. The employer shall provide and shall require employees to use self contained breathing apparatus or supplied air respirators in atmospheres which have an oxygen concentration of less than 19.5%. All units shall be of a pressure demand type or a positive pressure type.3. All respiratory devices regardless of type shall be selected, used, and maintained in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134 "Respiratory Protection" of the Utah Occupational Safety and Health Rules and Regulations. a. The air from a regular compressed air line may be used for breathing air systems if:b. A trap and carbon filter are installed and regularly maintained to remove oil, water, scale, and odor;c. A pressure reducing diaphragm or valve is installed to reduce pressure down to requirements of the particular type of respirator; andd. An automatic control is provided to either sound an alarm or shut down the compressor in case of over heating.I. Occupational Noise Exposure. 1. Protection against the effects of noise exposure shall be provided when the sound levels exceed those shown in the following permissible noise exposure table when measured on the "A" scale of a standard sound level meter at slow response. When noise levels are determined by octave band analysis, the equivalent A-weighted sound level may be determined by referring to 29 CFR 1910.95(a), Figure G-9.2. When employees are subjected to sound exceeding those listed in the following table, feasible administrative or engineering controls shall be utilized. If such controls fail to reduce sound levels within the levels of the table, personal protective equipment shall be provided and used to reduce sound levels within the levels of the table. Table 1 PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURES |
Duration per day, hours | Sound level dBA slow response |
8 | 90 |
6 | 92 |
4 | 95 |
3 | 97 |
2 | 100 |
1-1/2 | 102 |
1 | 105 |
1/2 | 110 |
1/4 or less | 115 |
When the daily noise exposure is composed of two or more periods of noise exposure of different levels, their combined effect should be considered, rather than the individual effect of each. If the sum of the following fractions: C1/T1 + C2/T2...Cn/Tn exceeds unity, then the mixed exposure should be considered to exceed the limit value. Cn indicates the total time of exposure at a specified noise level, and Tn indicates the total time of exposure permitted at that level. |
3. Exposure to impulsive or impact noise shall not exceed 140 dB peak sound pressure level.4. Variations in sound levelsa. If the variations in noise levels involve maxima at intervals of 1 second or less, it is to be considered continuous.b. In all cases where the sound levels exceed the values shown herein, a continuing, effective hearing conservation program shall be administered. 5. Audiometric Tests. a. Audiometric testing may be requested by the UOSH Administrator whenever individual hearing loss is in question. These tests shall be arranged for by the employer and shall be given under medical supervision.b. To ensure accurate audiograms, the facilities must meet the following minimum standards:c. Test Room. Audiograms shall be obtained only in environments which meet the requirements of the American National Standards Institute for background noise.d. Audiometer. Audiometers shall meet the specifications of the American National Standards Institute and should be maintained in calibration in accordance with recognized procedures. J. Working Over or Near Water. Employees working over or near water, where the danger of drowning exists, shall be provided with U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets or buoyant work vests.
K. Occupational Foot Protection. The employer shall require employees to wear safety shoes or boots in the working areas.
L. Safety Harnesses, Lifelines, and Lanyards. 1. The employer shall require and provide an approved safety harness suitable for the particular job or hazard exposure, which shall be attached by means of a tailrope or lanyard to a fixed anchor and adjusted to allow a maximum drop of 6 feet in case of fall, except when working on the fingerboard or when longer tag lines are necessary to perform the work required.2. A separate life line shall be provided for each employee exposed to the particular job or hazard.3. Safety harnesses and life lines shall be checked prior to each use and shall be repaired or replaced if found to be defective.M. Emergency Escapes. 1. A Safety Buggy with an adequate braking device shall be installed on an escape line and kept at the derrickman's working platform.2. The Safety Buggy and escape line shall be checked by the derrickman prior to each trip.3. An escape line shall be a wire rope of suitable diameter and type. It shall be kept free of obstruction.4. Tension on the escape line shall be such that a 180 lb. worker sitting in the Safety Buggy will touch the ground at least 20 feet from the anchor.5. The length of the escape line shall be adequate to assure no less than a 45 degree descent from the vertical plane and shall be securely anchored both at the ground and to the rig.N. Gases, Vapors, Fumes, Dusts, and Mists.1. Occupational asbestos exposure shall be controlled in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1001 of the Utah Occupational Safety and Health Rules and Regulations.2. Exposure to contaminants shall be limited by the regulations set forth in Chapter Z of the Utah Occupational Safety and Health Rules and Regulations.O. Ionizing Radiation. Sources of ionizing radiation not regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall be regulated by 29 CFR 1910.96 of the Utah Occupational Safety and Health Rules and Regulations.
P. Non-Ionizing Radiation. Non-ionizing radiation exposure shall be regulated by 29 CFR 1926.54; and 29 CFR 1910.97.
Q. Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Gas.1. Area Definitionsa. No Hazard Area = any well which will not penetrate a known H2S horizon.b. Low Hazard Area = any well which will penetrate a formation containing H2S with a known .35 psi/ft. B.H. pressure gradient or less and/or in which the H2S zone has been effectively sealed off by casing- cementing and/or cementing method.c. Medium Hazard Area = any well which will penetrate a formation containing H2S not defined in R614-2-3.Q.1.a. and b.d. High Hazard Area = any operation expected to bring free H2S gas to the surface, i.e., DST (Drill Stem Testing), production testing, etc.2. H2S Safety Equipment Procedures. a. The well operator and employer will require that the following safety equipment shall be provided and operational on site before the hole is 500 feet above any formation as defined in R614-2-3.Q.1. suspected and/or known to contain H2S Gas. (1) No Hazard Area (a) No special H2S equipment shall be required.(2) Low Hazard area: (a) Two (2) thirty (30) minute self-contained breathing apparatuses for emergency use only.(3) Medium Hazard Area: (a) Air masks with emergency escape cylinders for each employee.(b) Two (2) thirty (30) minute self-contained breathing apparatuses for emergencies.(c) Three wind socks and/or streamers.(d) Oxygen powered resuscitator with cylinder.(e) 2-Gas detectors (pump type).(f) A separate warning system.(4) High Hazard Area: (a) Manifold air masks with emergency escape cylinders for each employee.(b) Two (2) thirty (30) minute self-contained breathing apparatuses for emergencies.(c) Three wind socks and/or streamers.(d) Oxygen powered resuscitator with cylinder.(e) Two Gas detectors (pump type).(f) A separate warning system.3. The employer shall assure that in High Hazard Areas no employee is permitted on location without H2S safety training, except for instruction purposes.4. The well operator shall provide two (2) means of egress on each location in a High Hazard Area.5. A means of communications or instructions for emergency procedures shall be established and maintained on location along with the names and telephone numbers of the person or persons to be informed in case of emergencies.6. Employee Instructions. a. Employees shall be instructed in the use of all H2S safety equipment before being allowed on the location.b. The instruction of personnel shall include the following elements.c. Employees shall be informed of the characteristics of H2S and its hazards.d. Proper first-aid procedures to be used in a H2S knock down.e. Use of personal protective equipment.f. Use and operation of H2S monitoring systems.g. Corrective action and shut-down procedures.7. The employer shall be able to show through training and/or experience that the person(s) giving H2S safety instruction is qualified to give such instructions.8. Signs shall be posted 500 feet from the location, when possible, on each road leading to the location warning of the hazard of H2S.9. All H2S Safety equipment shall be checked to assure readiness before each tour change.R. Illumination. 1. Lighting in the work place shall be sufficient to enable the employees to see clearly enough to perform their work safely.2. Vehicle lights shall not be used for lighting of rig operations in lieu of rig lights, except in emergency.S. Sanitation.1. Potable Water. a. An adequate supply of potable water shall be provided in all places of employment.b. Portable containers used to dispense drinking water shall be capable of being tightly closed, and equipped with a tap. Water shall not be dipped from containers.c. Any container used to distribute drinking water shall be clearly marked as to the nature of its contents and not used for any other purpose.d. The common drinking cup is prohibited.2. Toilet Facilities. a. Under temporary field conditions at any work site, provisions shall be made to assure that not less than one toilet facility is available.b. Toilets shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.3. Temporary Sleeping Quarters. When temporary sleeping quarters are provided, they shall be heated, ventilated, and lighted.4. Washing Facilities. The employer shall provide adequate washing facilities for employees engaged in operations where contaminants may be harmful to the employees.Utah Admin. Code R614-2-3