Worker Dies in Rig Incident

A Wyoming man died in an oil rig incident near the Converse-Natrona county line. Jerrid Thomas Gardner, 22, was pronounced dead at the scene from head trauma. Converse County Coroner Ross Gorman said Gardner became entangled in a moving piece of equipment.

Gardner was employed by Hawkeye Well Service, said Johnnie Hall, compliance supervisor for the state Workers’ Safety and Compliance Division. Gardner was working on a workover rig-pulling unit. Workover rigs are used when an existing well has a problem. Crews pull rods and repair down-hole problems after a well has been drilled. OSHA was investigating.

Source: Casper Star Tribune, Wyoming, November 2, 2006