Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300391950 - Mcdermott Inc. Shipyard Division

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 1:30 p.m. on October 18, 1996, Employee #1, a welder, was welding the top section of a 24 inch pipe pile to the pipe stub left after the pipe pile had been driven into the ground by a pile driver. A row of six pilings had been tack welded to the stubs. Employee #1 had completed three seam welds on three pilings and was welding on the fourth pile from the south end when a truck crane backed up near to where he was working. The crane swung a load of pipe braces over the first piling from the north end, but a line dangling from the boom caught the second piling from the north end, which had just been tack welded. The piling was knocked over and landed on Employee #1. He died at the scene.

Keywords: SHIPYARD, UNSECURED, WELDER, CAUGHT BY, PIPE, STRUCK BY, UNSTABLE POSITION