Dropped Objects: How Asia Drilling Enhances Safety on Drilling Rigs

The oil and gas industry has always been associated with high risks, one of which is falling objects when working on drilling rigs. Asia Drilling, with the aim of minimizing risks and increasing safety levels at its facilities, has developed and implemented a comprehensive system for preventing objects from falling from height.

At the heart of this system lies not only compliance with regulatory requirements but also a proactive approach to safety. The company realizes that safety is not just a set of rules, but a culture of behavior formed through training, monitoring, and a conscious attitude towards one's own safety and the safety of colleagues.

This system includes several key components that form the basis of safe work at height:

Proactive Control

For each type of drilling rig:

• a register and safety tethering schemes for all suspended equipment have been developed and approved;
• zones of potential equipment falls have been identified — high-danger areas where there is a risk of objects falling from height. Such zones include, for example, the drill floor.

Due to dynamic loads, most bolted connections used in the oil and gas industry can loosen over time. This leads to the loosening of connections and falling objects, which can cause accidents. To avoid such situations, all potential fall zones are marked with a signal color, and access to them is allowed only to personnel performing current operations.

The Driller and the Assistant Driller are responsible for preventing unauthorized persons (not involved in current operations) from entering the drill floor. Workers are prohibited from being directly under equipment being lifted, especially during the movement of the traveling block, top drive, or when using an auxiliary winch, as well as in zones where objects may fall.

A procedure for regular inspections using special checklists and supporting photographs has been introduced on drilling rigs. This allows for the early identification of potential hazards and the taking of measures to eliminate them.

Personnel Training

The company attaches particular importance to training personnel in safe methods of working at height. Workers regularly undergo theoretical and practical special courses where they study the rules for securing equipment. For example, more than 400 employees undergo training annually under the company's own "DROPS" program.

Use of Special Tools

Workers are equipped with special tools for working at height with built-in tethering and safety systems. All tools are stored in specially designated areas and issued to workers against a signature, which allows for tracking their use and maintaining order.

Increasing Awareness

Asia Drilling regularly conducts information campaigns to increase worker awareness of the potential risks of falling objects from height. To prevent falling objects, every employee has the right to:

• control and intervention - be aware of hazards and associated risks and stop work if conditions or actions are unsafe;
• maintain reporting - register all potential and actual incidents in accordance with company regulations;
• eliminate potential hazards related to falling objects, if safe to do so, remove all loose objects and tools from the work site, especially when working at height;
• inspect work sites, loads, and lifting equipment on a regular and periodic basis.

The results of implementing this system are convincing: the number of identified violations or non-conformities related to the safety tethering of equipment and tools at height has decreased by more than 85%.