STABBING BOARD STRUCK BY
TRAVELLING BLOCK
In an accident which occurred in the Pacific OCS Region and was investigated by the
U.S. Coast Guard, a casing hand aboard a semisubmersible mobile offshore drilling unit
fell to his death when the travelling block struck the stabbing board on which he was
standing. The stabbing board, designed to be tilted vertically to allow passage of the
travelling block, was found not to have been secured in its vertical position as the
travelling block was being lowered. Although the driller checked to ensure that the
stabbing board was clear prior to the travelling block being lowered, the rope, by which
the board was being held in the vertical position by the casing hand, slipped allowing the
stabbing board to move into the path of the travelling block. The stabbing board was
subsequently torn from the derrick and fell 30 feet to the drill floor taking with it the
casing hand. The safety line worn by the casing hand had been attached to the stabbing
board.
To prevent a recurrence of this type of accident, the drilling contractor is taking
steps to --
1. Install a safety block, permanently affixed to the derrick, for the stabbing board
safety line which incorporates an automatic braking action should the safety line pay out
too fast.
2. Install a limit switch on the tilt portion of the stabbing board which indicates to
the driller, via a light on the driller's console, if the board is in the correct vertical
position.
3. Install a new stabbing board with additional counterweights to ensure that the tilt
portion of the board assumes a vertical position when desired.
4. Provide mandatory discussions between the driller and subcontractor personnel
working within the derrick regarding safety precautions to be followed.
Questions regarding this casualty should be directed to Commandant (G-MMI),
U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second St. SW., Washington D.C. 20593 (202) 426-1455.
U.S. Department of the Interior/Minerals Management
Service
