California Code of Regulations › Title 8 - Industrial Relations › Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations › Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety › Subchapter 14 - Petroleum Safety Orders-Drilling and Production › Article 44 - Miscellaneous Tools and Equipment › Section 6646 - Miscellaneous Tools and Equipment

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) When there is fluid inside of a length of
					 pipe above the derrick or mast floor that is being disconnected from pipe in
					 the well, a means shall be provided and used to prevent, as far as is
					 practicable, fluid spraying on employees on the floor.
(b) An oil saver shall be provided and used
					 when swabbing a well, also when bailing a well, where experience indicates that
					 the well has sufficient gas pressure to cause the well to flow or that
					 hazardous quantities of gas may be released.
(c) An oil saver shall be provided and used
					 when perforating for oil or gas production in a well that has sufficient gas
					 pressure to cause the well to flow. The two parts of a wire line oil saver
					 shall be handled separately.
(d)
					 Oil savers when used shall be installed and maintained in a manner to convey
					 the fluid being swabbed or that may flow, to a safe place of
					 disposal.
(e) Drill pipe slip
					 handles shall be short enough that they will not project beyond the inner edge
					 of the metal step around the top outer edge of the rotary table when the slips
					 are in position to hold the pipe in the rotary table. In the event the slip
					 handles extend beyond the rotating portion of the rotary table, a metal safety
					 ring ¼ inch to ½ inch high and ½ inch to ¾ inch
					 wide, or equivalent, with edges rounded shall be permanently attached at the
					 perimeter of the rotary opening of each rotary table so that it will not create
					 a tripping hazard. The diameter of the safety ring described shall exceed the
					 diameter of the arc described by the slip handles.
(f) In well servicing operations a torsion
					 stress shall not be applied to a string of sucker rods in a well by the use of
					 any wrench, tong or tool other than a power driven tong or device or a
					 rod-wheel wrench. The rim of a rod-wheel wrench shall be free of projections on
					 which employees' clothing may be caught.
This does not apply to normal hand rod wrench
						operations.
(g) No tool or
					 device of any kind shall be used in connection with a rod-wheel wrench as a
					 means of additional leverage.
(h) A
					 rat hole shall be provided to rack the kelly and/or swivel in when it is not in
					 use in the well unless it is laid on the derrick walk or racked in the derrick
					 or mast.
(i) When mouse and rat
					 hole pipes are provided, they shall be covered when not in use except when the
					 pipe extends at least twelve (12") above the floor.
(j) Splash plates that are used on drilling
					 fluid pump piston rods shall be constructed of rubber or similar material which
					 offers protection to an employee's hand should it be caught between the splash
					 plate and the pump.
(k) When a
					 tubing sand pump is used, the discharge shall be to a safe area so as not to
					 endanger any employees. When discharge hoses or piping is used, they shall be
					 secured against movement. When a bailer is used, a dumpkey shall be provided
					 and the discharge shall be away from the person doing the dumping and not
					 endanger other employees. When there are signs of gas in the bailer, the bailer
					 shall be secured prior to emptying.
(l) Tube testing shall be in accordance with
					 the following:
(1) The top packer of the
					 tubing assembly shall always be set below the working level of the employees at
					 the wellhead to guard against the possibility of an employee being struck by
					 pressurized fluid that has escaped through a rupture in the tubing.
(2) When a leak is detected in the section of
					 tubing being tested, the tester shall bleed off the remaining pressure of the
					 pipe, and not repressurize until that section of pipe is pulled above the
					 tubing slips. All employees shall be at least ten feet (10') away before
					 repressurizing is done to find the leak location.
(3) The derrickman can remain in the derrick,
					 as long as the testing of the pipe is being done below platform position. When
					 it is necessary to pull the pipe above the derrickman's platform to locate the
					 leak, the tester shall bleed off the pressure on the pipe and wait until the
					 derrickman descends to ground level.
(4) Employees shall be at least ten feet
					 (10') away when pipe is being plug tested.