Alert 14 – 27 Dropped Object: Hammer is Kicked from Work Basket

Alert 14 – 27 Dropped Object: Hammer is Kicked from Work Basket

WHAT HAPPENED:

An employee was operating a work basket inside the substructure while doing various tasks in preparation to nipple down the annular. He had used a 5 pound (2.3kg) shop hammer several minutes prior to the incident in order to break out the annular hydraulic lines. After he completed the task, he dropped the hammer to the bottom of the man-basket. While he was moving throughout the basket to arrange the BOP handler (chain hoist), the 5 pound (2.3kg) hammer was accidentally “kicked” out of the basket. It was “launched” approximately 10 feet (3 meters) down to the Driller’s side of the substructure where it struck another employee on the hard hat. The impact of the hammer created a pinch point between the hard hat and his safety glasses thus resulting in a laceration below his left eyebrow.