UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: On October 8, 2004, Employee #1 was a member of a crew involved in a roll-on roll-off operation of the Barge FORT ALEZA. He was working in the position of an In-training Gear-man and Lasher. In this role, he was positioned on the shore-based, three-level concrete ramp. The barge was moored to this ramp. It had ten adjustable ramps that covered the span between the three-level ramp and the barge. The five-wheel trailer-spotting tractors, Tico Yard Tractors, were used to move trailers from the barge to the terminal. The operators of the tractors reversed their tractors onto one of the ten ramps, entered the barge to connect to a trailer, and then drove forward from the barge onto the ramp. When the tractors were at the ramp, they stopped, and the gear-men, including Employee #1 raised the landing gears of the trailers, so those would not strike the ground. Once this was done, the tractor took the trailer to a storage area in the terminal, and then returned to the barge to repeat the operation. When one of the Tico Yard Tractors was backing onto a ramp lane, the operator was apparently looking on the right side to ensure that the tractor did not strike some concrete columns that were located between two ramp lanes. At the same time, Employee #1 was walking into the path of the reversing tractor, and was struck and run over by the left rear wheel of the tractor. Employee #1 sustained injuries to his trunk and extremities, which included the rib and pelvic fractures, lacerations to the lung and liver, as well as abrasions and contusions. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Employee #1 was wearing a high-visibility, reflective vest. The Tico Tractor was equipped with a working back-up signal, mirrors and there was a large opening in the rear of the tractor cab, which was used by the operator to gain access to the fifth wheel. The employer, however, did not have any written traffic rules or instructions regarding the tractor travel and pedestrian activity during roll-on roll-off operations.