Abstract: At approximately 8 a.m. on January 4, 2002, two employees were on a barge that was 200 feet in length and 28 feet in width. They were attempting to open the hatch covers so they could remove the residual zinc iron sulfide ("sphalerite"), from the barge. A wire rope winch line was attached to the starboard side of the barge hatch cover. When the winch operator started the winching operation, the hatch covers jammed. In an effort to dislodge the covers, the two employees climbed up on the hatch covers and relocated the winch line to the port side. The two employees remained on the hatch covers during the opening process. When tension was placed on the winch line, the hatch covers were dislodged and the bottom covers traveled in the opposite direction than that which was intended. The top hatch covers were pulled toward the bow, but the bottom covers went towards the stern. One employee died in this accident, and the other employee was hospitalized. Details concerning the employees' injuries were not reported.