Abstract: Two employees were working on a barge located on a lake. Both employees had finished their work and had boarded the workboat that is used to ferry personnel, supplies and equipment to and from the barge. The boat was secured to the barge by three dock lines located on the port side. One line was attached near the stern (back) and the other two were attached towards the bow (front) of the boat. During the day ice had accumulated on the dock lines. Together, both employees had loosened one of the front lines. Employee #1 went to the rear of the boat to loosen the back line as Employee #2 worked on the remaining front line. A wave hit the boat that threw Employee #2 off balance. Employee #2 looked to the rear of the boat and did not see Employee #1, then went to the back of the boat and saw that Employee #1 was in the water. Attempts by Employee #2 to pull Employee #1 from the water were unsuccessful. Employee #2 observed Employee #1 go underwater without resurfacing. Emergency response personnel were dispatched to the scene where search activities were initiated. Employee #1's body was recovered from the bottom of the lake three days later.