Abstract: Employee #1, a marine surveyor, was an independent contractor contracted by Fritz, of Los Angeles, CA. He was to ensure that the pressure vessels, blocks of granite, and other crates of equipment for Fritz were loaded and stored properly below deck on a ship called "Lady Emily." At approximately 5:35 p.m. he was leaving hold #5 by a staircase leading up to a landing approximately 20 ft from the deck floor. He climbed the 8 ft fixed vertical ladder leading to the hatch door. As he was climbing out of the hold, he apparently reached to grab the hand hold just above the hatch door, but his hand slipped. He tried to grab the hatch door, which came down on him. He fell down onto the railing of the landing and went over the railing to the dock, falling 28 ft to his death. The cause of death was a crushed head.