Abstract: On May 5, 2002, Employee #1 was working in plenum 2-89-1 on the starboard side of the A/B deck of the USNS Bob Hope. He was using a needle gun and grinder scraping rust from inside the steel walls and fan of the plenum. The fan was in the center of the plenum and was approximately 4.5 feet in diameter and 8 feet high. There was an opening on the starboard side of the plenum that measured approximately 6.5 feet by 6 feet. The base of the opening was approximately 2 to 2.5 inches from the deck of the plenum. The plenum room measured approximately 97 inches on the aft side, 112 inches on the fore side and 111 inches on the port side. There had been two 41 inch by 75 inch screens that covered the opening, but they had been removed, exposing employees to fall hazards. There was an approximately 70 foot drop to the barge, the floating camel, and/or the water below. Apparently, Employee #1 used a ladder and climbed on top of the fan since his needle gun and grinder were found on top of the fan close to the plenum opening. His brush was found on a ledge above the needle gun and grinder, and above the opening where some fresh grinding spots were located on the starboard inside hull and forward of the plenum opening. A cartridge type respirator was found at the base of the plenum opening. Employees of this company were assigned to work in pairs in each plenum. Employee #1 was working alone in the plenum and a coworker was working outside. There were not enough body harnesses and lanyards for all of the employees. At some point, body was noticed floating in the water. Employee #1 had fallen approximately 70 feet. A foreman working on the moon deck jumped down onto the floating camel and began to pull Employee #1 out of the water. Another employee began to assist the foreman with Employee #1, giving him CPR. Another foreman arrived on the barge and assisted the first two in getting Employee #1 onto the barge. They continued CPR for awhile but there was so much water in Employee #1's chest, blood began coming out of his ear. Employee #1 was killed by blunt force trauma to the head, a subarachnoid hemorrhage, and cerebellum and cerebrum fractures of his skull, ribs, scapula, and vertebra.