Abstract: SEVERAL EMPLOYEES WERE INVOLVED IN AN OPERATION IN WHICH 12 BY 60 FOOT SCRAP STEEL SECTIONS OF A SHIP, WEIGHING 70 TO 80 THOUSAND POUNDS APIECE, WERE MOVED BY TOWING. EMPLOYEE #1 HAD ATTACHED A PLATE HOOK (ACCOLY II) TO A CUTOUT SECTION OF ONE OF THE SCRAP STRIPS. THE HOOK CAPACITY WAS 28,750 POUNDS. AS A BULLDOZER STARTED TO PULL THE LOAD, IT "HUNG UP" ON THE ADJACENT STEEL SECTION. THE PLATE TO WHICH THE HOOK WAS ATTACHED FAILED, ALLOWING THE PLATEHOOK TO BE FREED AND FLY THROUGH THE AIR. THE PLATEHOOK STRUCK EMPLOYEE #1 IN THE STOMACH. EMPLOYEE #1 REQUIRED SURGERY TO REPAIR A BROKEN BLOOD VESSEL. THE EMPLOYEE WAS STANDING TOO CLOSE TO THE TOWED LOAD. THE METHOD OF TOWING THE LOAD WAS IMPROPER IN THAT THE LOAD MEMBER TO WHICH THE HOOK WAS ATTACHED WAS TOO WEAK. ALSO, THE PLATEHOOK WAS UNDERSIZED FOR THE OPERATION.