Improper Use of Safety Line May Have Caused Wyoming Worker’s Death

Wyoming authorities say an improperly used safety cable may have contributed to the June death of an oil rig worker.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports that 28-year-old Dennis McCulloch, of Casper, died after falling about 76 feet at the oil well site in Midwest.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Aaron Shatto says McCulloch had been attached to a safety retention cable, which is used to prevent falls, but the cable hadn’t been used correctly.

He says the line attached to McCulloch sustained significant side pressure, causing it to unravel and eventually break.

The victim was an employee of C L Well Service Inc. and doing work at an oil field operated by FDL Energy.

The Texas-based company and the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration are continuing to investigate the incident.