Abstract: On May 11, 1987, Employees #1 and #2 and a coworker were preparing a bridge plumb post that was to be temporarily hinged to one side so that a bottom chord could be inserted to connect two spans of a new bridge across the Mississippi River between Vidalia, LA, and Natchez, MS. The coworker was on a float removing previously installed bolts and pins from the plumb post. Employee #2 was on the top chord catching the bolts and pins. Employee #1 was in a skip box suspended by a barge-mounted crawler crane, fastening a choker to the plumb post so that it could be swung to the side by the crane. Either the plumb post or the choker fouled on the adjacent diagonal, causing the front hinging to shear off. The skip box was thrown violently about and Employee #1 was catapulted from the box into a net slung below the adjacent span. He struck stringers or bridge supports before reaching the net, and was killed. Employee #2 was injured.