UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

At 5:15 p.m. on October 27, 2013, three employees and a supervisor were conducti ng work on the deck of three barges to ready them for delivery. The supervisor a nd one of the employees made entry into the #1 cargo tank of barge's one and two to check the deep well blind on the deep well inspection flange. Another cowor ker assisted by Employee #1 also entered the #1 cargo tank. Employee #1 became dizzy and could not climb the ladder to get out, and fell to the tank bottom, la nding on his right side and striking his head on the metal tank. Employee #1 wa s seen by his coworker bleeding from his head and unresponsive. The coworker no tified the supervisor, who called the shipyard project coordinator who in turn c alled 911. The project coordinator told the supervisor that the barge entered b y Employee #1 had nitrogen in all of its cargo tanks in preparation for receivin g cargo. The fire department arrived on scene within 15 minutes of the initial fall from the ladder by Employee #1. The fire department tested the atmosphere o f the tank and found there to be less than 1 percent oxygen. Employee #1 was asp hyxiated and killed.