Occupational Safety and Health for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 54 FOURTH EDITION, FEBRUARY 2019

ADDENDUM 1, JUNE 2021

Special Notes

Neither API nor any of API’s employees, subcontractors, consultants, committees, or other assignees make any warranty or representation, either express or implied, with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained herein, or assume any liability or responsibility for any use, or the results of such use, of any information or process disclosed in this publication. Neither API nor any of API’s employees, subcontractors, consultants, or other assignees represent that use of this publication would not infringe upon privately owned rights.

Classified areas may vary depending on the location, conditions, equipment, and substances involved in any given situation. Users of this Recommended Practice should consult with the appropriate authorities having jurisdiction.

API is not undertaking to meet the duties of employers, manufacturers, or suppliers to warn and properly train and equip their employees, and others exposed, concerning health and safety risks and precautions, nor undertaking their obligations to comply with authorities having jurisdiction.

Information concerning safety and health risks and proper precautions with respect to particular materials and conditions should be obtained from the employer, the manufacturer or supplier of that material, or the material safety data sheet.

Where applicable, authorities having jurisdiction should be consulted.

Work sites and equipment operations may differ. Users are solely responsible for assessing their specific equipment and premises in determining the appropriateness of applying the Recommended Practice. At all times users should employ sound business, scientific, engineering, and judgment safety when using this Recommended Practice.

Users of this Recommended Practice should not rely exclusively on the information contained in this document. Sound business, scientific, engineering, and safety judgment should be used in employing the information contained herein.

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Contact the Publisher, API Publishing Services, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20001.

Copyright © 2019 American Petroleum Institute

Foreword

Nothing contained in any API publication is to be construed as granting any right, by implication or otherwise, for the manufacture, sale, or use of any method, apparatus, or product covered by letters patent. Neither should anything contained in the publication be construed as insuring anyone against liability for infringement of letters patent.

The verbal forms used to express the provisions in this standard are as follows:

• the term “shall” denotes a minimum requirement in order to conform to the standard;

  
  

• the term “should” denotes a recommendation or that which is advised but not required in order to conform to the standard;

  
  

• the term “may” is used to express permission or a provision that is optional;

  
  

• the term “can” is used to express possibility or capability.

Informative elements—As used in a standard, “informative” denotes elements that identify the document, introduce its content, and explain its background, development, and its relationship with other documents or provide additional information intended to assist the understanding or use of the document.

Normative elements—As used in a standard, “normative” denotes elements that describe the scope of the document and that set out provisions that are required to implement the standard.

This document was produced under API standardization procedures that ensure appropriate notification and participation in the developmental process and is designated as an API standard. Questions concerning the interpretation of the content of this publication or comments and questions concerning the procedures under which this publication was developed should be directed in writing to the Director of Standards, American Petroleum Institute, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20001. Requests for permission to reproduce or translate all or any part of the material published herein should also be addressed to the director.

Generally, API standards are reviewed and revised, reaffirmed, or withdrawn at least every five years. A one-time extension of up to two years may be added to this review cycle. Status of the publication can be ascertained from the API Standards Department, telephone (202) 682-8000. A catalog of API publications and materials is published annually by API, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20001.

Suggested revisions are invited and should be submitted to the Standards Department, API, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20001, standards@api.org.

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Contents

Page

1. Scope 1

   1. Coverage 1

   2. Applicability 1

   3. Responsibility 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Terms, Definitions, and Abbreviations 2

   1. Terms and Definitions 2

   2. Abbreviations 11

4. Safety and Health Management System 12

   1. General (Safety and Health Management) 12

   2. Risk Assessment 12

   3. Hazard Communication 12

   4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 13

   5. Incident Management 15

5. Safe Work Practices 15

   1. Housekeeping 15

   2. Fire Safety 16

   3. Flammable Liquids and Gases 18

6. Operations and Procedures 19

   1. General (Operations and Procedures) 19

   2. Hot Work, Welding, and Flame Cutting Operations 20

   3. Machinery and Tools 23

   4. Confined Spaces, Excavations, and Hazardous Environments 24

   5. Lock-out/Tag-out (Energy Isolation) 25

   6. Work in Proximity to Exposed Energized Power Sources 26

   7. Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Environment and Hazardous Atmospheres 27

   8. Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS) 27

   9. Hot Tapping and Freezing Operations 28

   10. Rig Up Operations 28

   11. Rig Down Operations 28

   12. Auxiliary Escape 28

   13. Personnel Hoisting Systems 29

   14. Tubular Handling 29

   15. Offshore and Inland Waters Operations 30

7. Drilling and Well Servicing Equipment 31

   1. Derricks and Masts 31

   2. Ladders, Stairways, and Platforms 32

   3. Drawworks 34

   4. Cathead Spools and Lines Powered by Cathead Spools 34

   5. Hoisting Lines and Other Wire Rope 35

   6. Hoisting Tools, Hooks, Elevator Links (Bails), Elevators, and Related Equipment 36

   7. Rotary Table 36

   8. Drill String Handling Equipment 37

   9. Weight Indicators 37

   10. Drilling Fluid Tanks 38

       v

       Contents

       Page

   11. Pressure Equipment 38

   12. Generators, Motors, and Lighting 39

   13. Internal Combustion Engines 39

   14. Inspection of Critical Equipment 39

   15. Land Rig Driller’s Cabin and Doghouse 39

8. Well Pumping Units in Well Service Operations 40

9. Special Service Operations 41

   1. General (Special Service) 41

   2. Equipment (Special Service) 41

   3. Communications 41

   4. Discharge Line (Temporary Treating or Cementing Lines) 41

10. Wireline Service Operations 42

    1. General (Wireline Service) 42

    2. Placement and Handling of Wireline Service Units 42

    3. Wellheads, Wellhead Connections, and Adapters 43

    4. Lubricators and Wireline Blowout Preventer Equipment 43

    5. Wireline Operations 43

    6. Perforating 44

    7. Swabbing 44

    8. Bailing 45

11. Stripping and Snubbing Operations 45

12. Drill Stem Testing 46

    1. Preliminary to the Drill Stem Test 46

    2. Performing the Drill Stem Test 47

13. Acidizing, Fracturing, and Hot Oil Operations 47

    1. General (Acid, Frac, Hot Oil Pumping) 47

    2. Pumping Operations (Acid, Frac, Hot Oil Pumping) 48

14. Cementing Operations 48

    1. General (Cementing) 48

    2. Pumping Operations (Cementing) 49

15. Gas, Air, or Mist Drilling Operations 49

    1. General (Gas, Air, Mist Drilling) 49

    2. Training 49

    3. Equipment (Air, Gas, Mist Drilling) 49

    4. Procedures 50

    5. Minimizing Sources of Ignition 51

16. Flowback Operations 51

Bibliography 53

Figures

1. Guyline Anchor Locations Outside the Fall Zones 42

2. Example of Sample Catcher Recommended to Protect Personnel from Deflected Solids 50

Table

1 Minimum Clearances between Power Lines and Derricks, Masts, or Guylines 26

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Occupational Safety and Health for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations

1. Scope

   1. Coverage

      
      

      The purpose of this document is to recommend practices and procedures for promoting and maintaining safe and healthy working conditions for personnel in drilling and well servicing operations.

      
      

   2. Applicability

      
      

      These recommendations apply to rotary drilling rigs, well servicing rigs, and special services as they relate to operations on location. It is intended that the applicable requirements and recommendations of some sections of the document be applied, as appropriate, to other sections. The recommendations are not intended to cover seismic drilling or water well drilling operations. These recommendations do not apply to site preparation and site remediation operations.

      
      

   3. Responsibility

      
      

      Employers have the responsibility to identify, communicate, and mitigate hazards at the work site. A process of risk assessment may be an effective method to protect employees at the work site.

      
      

2. Normative References

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced standard applies (including any addenda/errata).

API Recommended Practice 500, Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2

API Recommended Practice 505, Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class 1, Zone 0, Zone 1 and Zone 2

ASSE Z359.1, The Fall Protection Code

ASTM F2413, Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Protective (Safety) Toe Cap Footwear ISEA Z87.1, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection Devices ISEA Z89.1, American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection

NACE MR0175/ISO 15156-1, Requirements for Sulfide Stress Cracking Resistant Metallic Material for Oil Field Equipment

NFPA 70, National Electrical Code

NFPA 2112, Standard on Flame-Resistant Clothing for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Short-Duration Thermal Exposures from Fire

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