Abstract: On August 28, 2008, employees were tasked to cut up and scrap two hopper barges. Employees precut the walls of the barge with torches. They left two beams holding the wall until it was time to lift the wall out of its original position and place it in the yard where it would be cut into 2 ft by 5 ft pieces for scrap. The employees finished cutting up the bow (nose) section of the barge into four pieces. Three pieces had been lifted out and placed in the yard. The employees rigged the last piece of bow (nose) section and called for all employees to exit the barge prior to the lift. One employee gave a signal to the crane operator to make the lift. As the bow section came up, it rotated and struck the port wall of barge number 1. The wall fell outboard of the barge and struck the starboard wall of barge number 2. The wall of barge number 2 fell on the employee that was standing on the deck (floor) of barge number 2. The falling object caused multiple blunt force trauma and accompanied by asphyxia which killed the employee.