Vessel mechanic drowns after falling from a ladder between a tugboat and the dock - Massachusetts.
Source
NIOSH 2004 May; :1-5
Abstract
On May 9, 2002, a 38-year-old male vessel mechanic (the victim) drowned when he fell approximately 13 feet from an aluminum ladder that was being used to access a tugboat from a pier. The victim was on site to assist in repairing the vessel when a coworker found him in the water between the tugboat, a wooden bumper and the pier. The victim was transported to an ambulance by the United States Coast Guard and brought to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Massachusetts FACE Program concluded that to prevent similar occurrences in the future, employers should: 1. Ensure that all articulated tug barge (ATB) unit's tugs are outfitted with gangways. 2. Ensure that vessels are only docked at designated docking locations. 3. Provide and require the use of U.S. Coast Guard personal flotation devices. 4. Train employees in procedures to safely board and disembark a docked tugboat.
Keywords
Region-1; Accident-analysis; Accident-prevention; Accidents; Injuries; Injury-prevention; Traumatic-injuries; Work-operations; Work-analysis; Work-areas; Work-performance; Work-practices; Safety-education; Safety-equipment; Safety-measures; Safety-monitoring; Protective-measures; Training; Marine-workers; Dockworkers; Mechanics; Ladders
Document Type
Field Studies; Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation
Funding Type
Cooperative Agreement
Identifying No.
FACE-02MA010; Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-CCU-108704
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Performing Organization
Massachusetts Department of Health
