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Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201773074 - Employee Drowns When Caught by Capsizing Barge

Accident Summary Nr: 201773074 -- Report ID: 0213900 -- Event Date: 04/18/2007
Inspection NrDate OpenedSICNAICSEstablishment Name
31089691504/18/20071611237310George Harms Construction Co., Inc.

Abstract: At approximately 3:45 PM on April 18, 2007, Employee #1 had accessed a hopper barge to release a cable that had been used to support the barge on the starboard side. The barge, a Flexifloat, is a modular system consisting of two 10 ft by 40 ft sections side by side with another 10 ft by 20 ft section attached at the end. The total size was 20 ft by 50 ft. The hopper section consisted of 1-in. plate steel. The plates were welded vertically to the deck and the side plates were welded at an angle with steel I beams for support to deflect material to the center. The plates were approximately 8 ft high. The barge was used to catch construction debris from a bridge that was being demolished. After Employee #1 released the cable, a coworker who was operating a tug boat, put the boat at notch one in reverse to back the barge out from under the bridge. After moving approximately 2 ft the barge listed to starboard approximately 6 to12 inches. It then rolled back to port the same distance, then back to even keel. It then rolled back to port and capsized both vessels. As the vessels were rolling to the port side, Employee #1 jumped into the water and started to swim away. The coworker, at almost the same time, jumped from the pilot house and swam away. As the barge capsized, Employee #1 was caught in the hopper section trapping him under the barge and he drowned.

Keywords: BARGE, ASPHYXIATED, JUMP ON MOVING EQUIP, CAUGHT BY, CAUGHT BETWEEN, DROWN, BOAT, OVERTURN
Accident Details
End Use Project Type Project Cost Stories Non-building Height Fatality
Bridge Demolition $20,000,000 and over 20 X

Employee Details
Employee # Inspection Nr Age Sex Degree of Injury Nature of Injury Occupation Construction
1 310896915 Fatality Asphyxia Sailors and deckhands Distance of Fall: feet
Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet
Cause: Demolition
Fatality Cause: Drown, non-lethal fall

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