Inspection Finds Companies Did Not Use Safety Plan When Workers Were Trapped on Drilling Platform, OSHA Says
One of the companies had a fire safety plan but did not use it, according to OSHA.
- By Alex Saurman
- Aug 26, 2022
An incident earlier this year left nine workers trapped 280 feet high. An OSHA inspection has determined that the two employers did not use fire safety plans, the agency says.
According to a news release, in February 2022, Carlos Arturo Guerrero LLC employees—operating as CAG Professional Services—were working on a jack-up drilling platform. Other employees of PH Steel Inc were also working at the site in Texas when a fire broke out and caused damage to “the platform’s generator wires.” Nine workers were trapped 280 feet high and were rescued by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.
OSHA found that although CAG Professional Services had a “fire safety plan,” it was not used, and PH Steel did not have a plan, according to the news release. OSHA proposed penalties of $140,055 for CAG Professional Services and $72,511 for PH Steel.
“In an industry where workers face potentially serious and deadly hazards every day, employers must act quickly to safely evacuate workers and must ensure workers are trained on proper safety procedures,” said OSHA Area Director Mark Briggs in Houston in the news release.
About the Author
Alex Saurman is a former Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety,who has since joined OH&S’s client services team. She continues to work closely with OH&S’s editorial team and contributes to the magazine.