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support the great weight of the drilling tools, which can weigh many
tons (tonnes).
Rig masts and derricks are tall because they have to
accommodate long lengths of pipe the rig crew raises into it during
the drilling process. A mast or derrick can be as high as a 10-story
building – about 200 feet (60 metres) tall. Most, however, are closer to
140 feet (45 metres) high. Even so, in flat country, a structure as lofty
as a 16-story building is conspicuous.
Upon arriving at the rig, the first step is to check in with the
boss. He or she is probably in a mobile home or a portable building
on the site that serves as an office and living quarters. The rig boss
may have the intriguing title of “toolpusher"; or, rig workers may call
him or her the “rig superintendent," or the “rig manager." (Currently,
most toolpushers, or rig superintendents, are men; but that's changing).
Toolpusher is the traditional term for the rig boss. It probably
originated from the fondness rig workers have of calling practically
every inanimate thing on a rig a tool. Thus, one who bossed the
personnel using the tools also pushed the tools, in a symbolic, if not
actual, sense. Nowadays, the drilling industry leans towards the term
rig superintendent or rig manager for the person in charge, but you'll
still hear rig hands call him or her the toolpusher (or, in Canada, the
“toolpush").
Now don your haul hat, which is a very tough plastic cap with
a brim to protect your head. Also, put on your steel-capped boots,
which keep your toes from being crushed, and your safety glasses to
safeguard your eyes. This style of dress is de rigueur for everyone.
Whether working on a rig or merely visiting it, everyone must wear
personal protective equipment, or PPE for short. Rig workers also
wear gloves to protect their hands and you may want to wear a pair,
too.
With protective gear on and the rig superintendent's
permission, let's go up to the rig floor. The floor is the main work area
of the rig and it usually rests on a strong foundation, a substructure,

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