Rig Floor Crew Activities

Elevators:  Keep elevators oiled and greased.  Check latch springs and latch action and ensure that they latch completely.  Check pin nuts to be sure they are tight.  When going in the hole make sure that the latches are open. The lead tong man should make sure they do not catch on the drill pipe box.  Make sure that the elevators not in use are kept clean and greased, and while drilling, are closed to keep from wearing the main pin. Keep paint off of working parts.

Never slide down dead line?  No! One can injure hands from wickers in the line, or the grip may loosen and cause a man to fall.  Never slide down drill pipe or drill collars?  No! Pipe may be oily, muddy or wet causing it to be slick.  Ankles have been sprained or broken by sliding down pipe.  There may be steel slivers to stick in the body and cause infection.  Never slide down catline?  No!  Hemp wickers or steel slivers may cause infection or your grip may weaken causing a serious fall. Never slide down standpipe or rotary hose? No!

Cathead:  Make sure an experienced man is on the cathead.  Have someone watch while using the cathead in case it gets fouled, so the drawworks can be stopped.  Be sure the catline or spinning rope used is in good condition.  Always take slack out of catline before adding wraps.  Never use too many wraps — use just enough so that it will not be too hard pull on the rope or catline being used.  Signals should be given for all to stay clear of the object being picked up by the catline. The object being picked up should not be too heavy.  Every employee should know how to disengage the cathead.

Making a Trip:

Make sure that all snub lines and breakout lines are checked before making a trip.

1. Have 3 clamps on the line at each end of the snub line or use pre-made eyes in the cable (snub line or pull back line).
2. Keep tarpaper or some other abrasive material on the rig floor to prevent slips.
3. Ensure the floor is clear of excess tools and that nothing is lying on the breakout line or make-up lines.
4. Use a mud bucket to keep mud off the floor, hands and rig.
5. Never use cuttings or grit on the spinning chain as it might get in eyes.
6. Check before going in the hole to see that brakes and auxiliary brake (hydromatic or dynomatic) are in good working order.
7. Keep elevators turned at the right angle to make a good catch.
8. Check on drill collar pull back line (mule line).
   1. See that it is inspected regularly.
   2. If it is operated from the rig floor, the man operating it is to wait for the derrickman to signal before pulling back the collar.
9. The man pushing on the collar while setting it back must be careful to keep fingers, hands and feet clear.
10. The driller should be absolutely sure that the derrickman has removed the pull back line from the collar before starting to spin it up.
11. When unlatching the elevators, break them open quickly so they will not hang on the box.
12. Stand clear of tongs when making up or breaking out a connection.
13. Never stand under drill pipe while racking or tailing. Also stand clear of the spinning chain when going in hole.
14. Always use a mud box when pulling a wet string.
15. Slow down the pipe so slips can be set safely. Always watch for washout tool joints or mashed pipe.
16. Do not unlatch the elevators until the lift nipple is set on floor and two men are holding it securely.
17. When setting collars back in the derrick, elevators should never be pulled in over the board.
18. Every member of the crew should be constantly alert and watch for breaks in the collars.
19. When the wind is too high, take a strain on the pipe and wait until wind slows.
20. Run the blocks slowly when windy and be very careful to move slowly.