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 18 - Standard Type Derricks
Section 6560 - Inside Derrick Platforms

(a) An inside derrick platform shall be provided in the derrick tower at each elevation where an employee is normally required to handle pipe, sucker rods or other equipment racked in the derrick tower.

(b) The working edge of inside derrick platforms shall be placed with sufficient clearance for safe passage of the traveling block and to permit the employee, if working from the platform, to reach the elevator.

(c) Every inside derrick platform, monkey board type excepted, shall completely cover the space from the working edge back to the derrick girts.

(d) Every monkey board type platform shall be secured to the derrick with bolts or equivalent fastenings to resist being shifted or dislodged under normal operating conditions.

(e) Except for the monkey board type, every inside derrick platform of metal construction shall have the decking at each end and near the working side secured to the derrick girts or other platform supports with machine bolts, "U" bolts, or "J" bolts.

(f) The space between the derrick girt and the monkey board shall be completely covered at the normal point of access to the monkey board. Monkey board type platforms shall be at least twenty-four inches (24") across their least horizontal dimension.

EXCEPTION: This subsection does not apply to (G-1) derricks unless the monkey board type platform is installed after the effective date of these orders.

(g) Except for the monkey board type, every inside derrick platform of wood construction shall have each end of the decking plank or planks on the working side secured to the derrick girts or other platform supports with machine bolts, "U" bolts, or "J" bolts.

(h) A vertical clearance of at least six and one-half feet (6 1/2') shall be maintained above the decking of each inside derrick platform.

(i) No inside derrick platform shall be in such a position that the hoisting line, running to the hoist drum, will run through or in contact with the platform unless provisions are made to prevent the platform from being abraded by the line and the line guarded to prevent employees working on the platform contacting it.

(j) Inside derrick platform shall not be installed in a derrick in such a position that it would obstruct the driller's or hoist operator's view, when at their operating stations, of either the crown block or the traveling block at any point of its travel.

(k) An inside derrick platform which is more than three and one-half feet (3 1/2') above the outside derrick platform which serves it and to which the main derrick ladder does not provide direct access shall have access provided thereto by means of an auxiliary derrick ladder from the outside derrick platform below to a point not less than three and one-half feet (3 1/2') above the inside platform.

(l) A finger or finger brace shall not be used as a principal inside derrick platform. A finger board may be used as an inside derrick platform when it meets the requirements for an inside derrick platform and provides safe working space between the traveling block or hoisting lines and the pipe racked in the derrick tower.