Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1917418 - Petty Ray Geophysical Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1, A SEISMOGRAPH HELPER, WAS WORKING WITH THREE OTHER EMPLOYEES LAYING OUT GEOPHONES BETWEEN TWO STATIONS. THERE WAS A SLATE ROAD AND A SLOUGH BETWEEN THE TWO STATIONS. THE SLOUGH WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET ACROSS AND CONTAINED 5 FEET OF WATER WITH ABOUT 4 FEET OF SILT/MUCK ON THE BOTTOM. THE WORKERS CROSSED THE ROAD AND ENTERED THE SLOUGH IN A SWAMP BUGGY. APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET FROM ONE OF THE BANKS, THE LEFT TRACK OF THE SWAMP BUGGY HIT SOMETHING IN THE WATER, THROWING THE LEFT HALF OF THE MOBILE INTO THE AIR. THE SWAMP BUGGY ENDED UP UPSIDE DOWN IN THE WATER, BOTH TRACKS IN THE AIR. THE OTHER EMPLOYEES, WHO WERE ALL WEARING 10 INCH HIGH RUBBER BOOTS, JUMPED AND SWAM TO THE SHORE. HOWEVER, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WEARING HIP BOOTS. WHEN THE BUGGY CAPSIZED, HIS BOOTS PROMPTLY FILLED WITH WATER. EMPLOYEE #1 DROWNED BECAUSE HIS WATER-WEIGHTED BOOTS HELD HIM BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER.

Keywords: RUBBER BOOT, SLOUGH, SWAMP BUGGY, DROWN, BOAT, OVERTURN