DROPS Level 1

Schlumberger manage DROPS?
DROPS Standard (SLB-QHSE-S023)
Preventing and mitigating harm

related to DROPS
Falls from height
Being struck by suspended loads/dropped objects
DROPS
Other

IOGP Fatality data 1991 to 2013 inclusive, includes 1629 fatal incidents.

Accidents involving dropped objects are in the top 3 of all reported incidents

18% of Fatal Incidents

by:
Defining what is a potential dropped object
Defining what is work

at height
Explaining hazards of dropped objects/work at height
Describing how Schlumberger manages DROPS
Explaining use of prevention/mitigation controls
Understanding your responsibilities

falls which can cause harm or damage.
Examples:
Wrench falling from a

workbench
Book falling from a shelf

DROPS Standard focuses on objects that can cause harm or damage
Smaller items:
Tools falling from height
Heavy pieces of equipment:
Cargo
Tubulars like casing and drillpipe
Sections of a structure

third level racking. 4 tubes rolled off the forks and

fell onto the ground.
Tools Various hand tools weighing approximately 4 kilograms fell from a winch and landed on the drill floor 20 meters below.
Vehicle Loads A separator was only secured to the truck with one chain at the front of the load. When the driver made a sharp turn, the separator fell off the back of the truck.

Mobile Crane Mobile cranes are very prone to being unstable and can often become a dropped object themselves. In this case the locking pin was not engaged on one of the four outriggers, and the outrigger gave way under the weight of the load causing the 20 tonne crane to fall over, and become a dropped object.

Wellsite Equipment An injector head control box fell but was held upside down by cables. The cover door came off its hinges and fell to the deck.
Cargo Carrying Units This container had been returned to the base, and as the door was opened it fell off. The investigation revealed that door’s hinges were not in good condition and that the container had been struck during transportation. As the mobile crane and container door examples show, dropped objects don’t always have to be at height.

THESE EXAMPLES SHOW A VARIETY OF DROPPED OBJECTS WHICH APPLY TO SCHLUMBERGER OPERATIONS.

under its own weight
Examples:
Equipment falling due to rusted fastenings
Shelving collapsing

due to overloading
Loose objects left on elevated walkways
Person dropping a hammer when working at height

due to applied force
Impact from other equipment/moving object
Combination of

dynamic forces
Movement
Vibration
Environmental factors (wind)

Examples include:
Crane striking a floodlight and the floodlight falling
Nut working loose from a bolt due to vibration
Objects being blown over in the wind

level
Where you could fall from an edge, through an opening

or fragile surface
Where you could fall from ground level into an opening in a floor or a hole in the ground

Work at height is NOT:
A slip or a trip on the level
Walking up and down a staircase in a building or permanent workplace

Note: That objects which fall when people are using permanent staircases or fall from staircases in a building are still dropped objects.

of a truck An activity often not considered to involve working

at height, which has a significant risk of falls, are activities involving vehicles. The majority of falls from vehicles involve falls from under 1.8 meters (6 feet), with people mainly falling from a flatbed load area or when entering or leaving the vehicle cab.
Tasks requiring working on top of shipping containers Avoid having to access the top of shipping containers, and when this cannot be avoided use fall protection systems.
Tasks using ladders/step/ladders/podiums/trestles/gantries Require the equipment to be fit for purpose, inspected before use and only used by personnel trained and competent for the tasks.

Tasks using scaffolding or scaffolding towers Only scaffolding which is certified shall be used.
Tasks using Mobile Elevated Work Platforms Forklift baskets can also be used as mobile elevated work platforms but only when they are designed and certified to lift people. Operators and the people to be lifted must be trained and competent to perform their tasks as any mechanical lifting of people is a high-risk activity.
Tasks working on roofs, whether flat or pitched Where there is no permanent edge protection, fall prevention or arrest systems must be used. The particular hazards with roof surfaces are that they often have fragile surfaces, for example sky lights.

Tasks working beside ground excavations, man-holes, pits This is another work at height hazard which is not well recognized as work at height. There is a potential of a fall through an opening, and work at height controls are required.
May involve tasks working on plant or machinery An analysis of the falls from height reported in QUEST which involved a serious, major or catastrophic injury show that over 30 % are as a result of falls from workplace equipment such as pumps, equipment skids, mixing platforms or pipework.

if you can. If you don't need to go up

there, DON’T! Work from the ground level if you can.

If work at height cannot be avoided, PREVENT falls by selecting and using the right access equipment, work equipment or other measures to prevent falls when you cannot avoid working at height.

Where you cannot eliminate the risk of a fall, MITIGATE the impact of a fall. Use work equipment or other means to minimize the distance and consequences of a fall, should one occur.

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THERE ARE 3 SIMPLE RULES FOR WORK AT HEIGHT WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN ORDER.

be eliminated, it's important to assess the risks and select

the right equipment for the job.

Anyone required to work at height as part of their job shall complete the Level 2 Training and any additional country or segment specific training required.

If you are still being trained you should be supervised by a competent person.

Any work at height should be:
Properly planned
Appropriately supervised
Cancelled in dangerous weather conditions

If you are going to work at height you should be competent to:
Complete the task safely
Use/erect/dismantle the selected access equipment

contractors and worksites
Risk Based Controls
Corporate/Segment defined according to risk level
Site

Controls
Applicable controls are documented in a Site Specific Procedure

Design

Sourcing & Procurement

Manufacturing & Construction

Installation & Commissioning

Operations

Repair & Maintenance

Transport

Decommissioning & Disposal

ALL EMPLOYEES
ALL CONTRACTORS
ALL WORKSITES

17

events
Prevent a hazard from happening
Mitigation controls:
Reduce the severity of

consequences

DROPS Prevention and Mitigation Controls

DESIGN PROPER PRIMARY FIXINGS FOR EQUIPMENT AT HEIGHT

INSPECTING FIXINGS/TOOLS TO ASSURE SECURITY

PLACING BARRIERS TO PREVENT PEOPLE BEING IN AREA

DO NOT STOP OBJECTS FROM FALLING, STOPS INJURIES

to work at height (outside enclosed areas)
Mitigate the harm that

may be caused by dropped objects or falls

Preventing dropped objects
Fixtures and fittings:
Designed to secure equipment at height
Secondary retention devices:
To prevent potential dropped objects from falling (safety chains or netting)

Workplace when working at height:
Designed to provide permanent controls:
Walkways with permanent edge protection guard rails
Toe-boards
Equipment Access Design Guidelines:
Specifications for work platforms at height; ladders/stairs/walkways

Suitable work equipment such as:
Certified Mobile Elevated Work Platforms, scaffolds, etc.
Personal protective work equipment to prevent falls
Travel restraint systems prevent people reaching a place from which they could fall

heights over 1.8m (6ft)
Fall protection systems used when working outside

enclosed areas over 1.8m (6ft)

Enclosed areas designed to prevent people from falling
Work area is protected by secure guardrails, safety gates and toe boards
Personnel working at height needs to be medically assessed as fit to work at height
Accordance with requirements of Schlumberger Health Standard
Must complete the Level 2 Training and any additional training required

HEIGHTS OVER 1.8m (6 ft.)

height
To reduce the risk of dropped objects
Loads both on vehicles/cargo

carrying units/containers need to be properly secured
Inspect cargo carrying unit to ensure it is fit for purpose

A large number of dropped objects result from objects falling from vehicles during transport.
Range from debris to the load itself

of Schlumberger (client/third party)
Responsibilities for ensuring requirements of the DROPS

Standard are implemented

Check competence of contractors and review risk assessment
Provide contractors with a company/site orientation and give the HSE information they need
Discuss tasks with contractors before starting work
Check all parties have provided all equipment/documentation that has been agreed
Ensure responsibilities are clear between all parties
Check contractor performance, manage changes from planned work and stop job if required

CHECK WORKPLACE ON COMPLETION OF WORK AT HEIGHT.

NO LOOSE OBJECTS HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND.

DROPS.
If working at height/operational exposure to dropped objects:
Required to complete

additional risk-based training
Level 2 Training
Externally certified courses required in your Area/Segment

STOP the job process:
When you see a situation which is not adequately controlled and personnel in danger
Obligated to stop the job
Fully supported by line management

Conducting Observation/Interventions:
Look for work at height and dropped object hazards
Discuss these issues with the personnel involved
Be receptive to discussions as you may not have recognized the hazards
Report in QUEST

people are not “in the line of fire”
Are important mitigation

measure

Personnel must:
Comply with restrictions
Do not cross physical barriers
Stay in “safe areas” when not actively involved in a task and authorized to be in a high risk area

general workplace activities
Use certified well-fitting PPE
Special equipment (work

at height):
Mitigate consequences of a fall from height
Certified to recognized standards
Used by personnel trained in use/inspection/ maintenance/limitations of equipment
Additional information provided in PPE Standard/ B.O.O.K./Level 2 training

Reporting and Management Standard HSE (SLB-QHSE-S002-HSE)
Followed up until closure

of corrective actions

DROPS incidents and near-miss events:
Categorized in QUEST as High Potential
Formally investigated

Report potential dropped object events into QUEST
Use ‘DROPS Potential Outcome Calculator’
Categorize potential for dropped object consequence

Note: Primary retention fails (prevention control) but object is retained by a secondary retention device (mitigation control)
Reported as a near accident/near miss in QUEST

A fall of a person using fall arrest PPE, but not resulting in injury
Reported first aid case within QUEST
People subject to suspension in harness must be:
Checked by medic
Ensuring they are fit to work

DROPS controls for site including:
Site DROPS Procedure/DROPS Zone Map
Site DROPS

Plan (Low risk DROPS sites)
Comply with access restrictions/signage/barriers
Only access restricted areas with authorization from the Person in Charge
Comply with Permit to Work Controls
Only perform tasks which you are trained and competent to perform or under supervision by a competent person
Only working at height after having completed the Level 2 Training
Stop the job if you feel something is not right or you are not sure
Report DROPS incidents, near accidents and hazardous situations in QUEST

loss in our industry.

The DROPS Standard deployment is a

continuation of the commitment Schlumberger has made to eliminate harm as a result of dropped objects and creating an accident free workplace.

Thank you for completing this Level 1 Training package.