Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1237282.015 - 70839 - County Of Anderson - Public Safety

Inspection Information - Office: Sc Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation

Investigation Summary

On June 1, 2017, Employee #1 was tasked with participating in marine patrol training exercises at Lake Hartwell. The drills were being conducted by the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, which the Army Corps of Engineers was contacted beforehand in preparation for the upcoming event. The training began at approximately 8:00 a.m., starting with the Army Corps of Engineers demonstrating how to perform safety checks of vessels on the water. Afterwards, the Sheriff's Office employees worked to repeat the same checks they had just learned. Two boats were being used for this purpose; one belonged to the Army Corps of Engineers, and the other to the Sheriff's Office. Next, an emergency stop exercise was demonstrated. While one Army Corps of Engineers employee and two Sheriff's Office employees on board, including Employee #1, the Sheriff's Office boat (Pioneer 19-foot long center console boat; serial number: FVZC0698F607)was used to demonstrate an emergency stop. With an Army Corps of Engineer operator controlling the Sheriffs Office boat, the maneuver was performed a second time. The maneuver involved the boat approaching a fixed buoy in the water and sharply turning to the left and throttling the gas controls down to ensure the boat comes to a quick stop. As the boat approached the buoy and the operator turned the boat sharply to the left, the driver, Employee #1, and the other Sheriffs office employee were ejected from the boat. All three occupants landed in the water; however, the unoccupied boat continued on its path in a circular pattern. Two of the occupants were rescued, sustaining no injuries, but Employee #1 was struck by the boat and became caught in its rotating propeller. He was pulled under the water and drowned before rescuers could reach him. Employee #1s body was taken to a nearby hospital, where the Coroner's report confirmed Employee #1s death as a result of drowning. The incident investigation revealed that the Army Corps of Engineer employee who was operating the Sheriff's Office boat was not wearing the engine cutoff switch leading up to the incident. As a result, the boat continued operation despite having no occupants onboard.

Keywords: Boat, Drown