STEPS Network Meeting December 21, 2005

Hosted by David Downing, Sprint Safety

Purpose: The South Texas Exploration and Production Safety Network, commonly known as the STEPS Network, promotes safety, health and environmental improvement in the exploration and production of oil and gas in South Texas. The STEPS Network fosters a work environment that relies upon open communication and trust.

Marianne McGee, OSHA Compliance Assistant Specialist, Corpus Christi Area Office

• Four work-related fatalities were reported to the CC Area Office since October 1, 2005.
• Two fatalities resulted from falls from ladder.
• One fatality resulted from pressure release.
• One fatality resulted from stuck by

Guy Watts, Attorney – Protecting Your Company with Safety Standards

• Negligence – What the defendant did or did not do that caused an incident.
• Damages:
  
• Actual damages: pain/mental anguish, disfigurement, medical.
  
• Punitive: awarded as penalty or punishment.
• The employer could be held liable for negligence if:
  
  • They knew or should have known what was necessary to protect others
  • They failed to exercise reasonable care and training
  • And if failure to do so increased risk to others.
• Proactive measures include:
  • Thorough screening during hiring
    
  • Providing proper training
    
  • Providing adequate supervision.
    
• To protect your company from the award of punitive damages you should establish safety standards, hire safety professionals, and provide training.
  
• To maintain an active corporation and protect the individuals (officers) you should conduct meetings with minutes, include Inc. on signage and documents, and sign documents as an officer of the corporation.

Jack Pettyjohn, Speedshore – Excavation Safety:

• Ensure all trenches are completed according to OSHA regulations, sloping or shoring.
  
• Train employees to be competent persons especially your equipment operators.
  
• In a trench that is 5 feet or deeper you must either slope the trench or provide a trench box. Remember employees may be kneeling down or laying down while working in a trench and can be in danger in a trench that is less than 5 feet deep.
  
• More employees are killed in trenches in Texas than any other state in the nation.

Bill Keene, DBI Sala, – Fall Protection :

• OSHA requirements. You must provide fall protection or guarding. Your competent person determines what method is used to address the fall hazard.
  
• The body belt has been outlawed therefore you must use full body harness.
  
• There are three parts of fall protection: Anchor point, harness, and lanyard.
  
• With shock absorbing lanyard need anchor point 15.5 feet above ground, due to slack produced in lanyard upon fall. Arresting force is 900 pounds.
  
• With retractable lanyard, need 8 feet above ground. Must be directly above employee.
  
• Never use shock absorbing lanyard and the retractable lanyard together.
  
• Maximum arresting force is 1800 pounds.
  

The next meeting will be held Wednesday January 18, 2006 at 8am at the Holiday Inn Airport in Corpus Christi.