Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112129325 - Rio Doce Pasha Terminal

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

Employees including Employee #1 and coworkers were unloading plywood from the ship "Forum Wind" to the dock, berth 179. Employee #1 was working as the front man and as the signalman. A coworker was working as the winch driver and was working the hurdy gurdy (ship's crane) on hatch #5. Employee #1 was unhooking the slings from the loads of plywood that were being unloaded. As the ship was unloaded, it gradually rose higher in the water and the blind spot between the ship and the load got bigger. Employee #1 unhooked the sling from the land side first. After unhooking this side, Employee #1 then went to the shop side, where there was a blind spot. While unhooking the sling from the blind spot, Employee #1 put his foot into the bight of the line. The coworker raised the slings to get another load. Employee #1's foot became caught in the sling and he was immediately raised approximately 20 to 30 feet in the air. His foot then fell free from the sling and Employee #1 fell back onto the dock, sustaining a fractured back and contusions to his pelvis and other body parts. The causal factors to this accident include Employee #1 standing in the bight of the line, and the coworker failing to operate the hurdy gurdy on clearly understood signals from Employee #1,.

Keywords: LONGSHORING, FRACTURE, SIGNALMAN, OBSTRUCTED VIEW, WORK RULES, SHIP, FALL, OFF LOADING, ENTANGLED, COMMUNICATION