Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301602470 - Nicholson Terminal & Dock Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Lansing Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:00 a.m. on March 23, 2004, an employee was removing dunnage near the three row high coil stack during longshoring activities aboard a foreign vessel "The Sector" from Monrovia. The employee was a 10-year veteran in the longshoring industry and was currently working through a temporary labor force, Labor Ready of Lincoln Park, Michigan whom recently began a contract with Nicholson Terminal Dock Company to supply general laborers for longshoring related work. The Labor Ready agency had 30 temporary workers at the terminal at the time of the accident. Nicholson had about seven workers working the vessel at the time of the accident. The employees were required to wear a hard hat, safety boot, safety classes, a safety vest and gloves while working at the terminal. The employee had completed the required safety training of watching three safety training videos, General Safety Training IV "Personal Protective Equipment, TRT 16:00; Holdman Training, TRT 14:22; General Safety Training IV "Choices," TRT 18:45 prior to being assigned to the terminal. The laborers also receive on-the-job safety instruction by senior Nicholson coworkers. The employee was crushed and killed by a 4,000 lb. coil of steel cable. There was no evidence of contributing weather conditions at the time of the accident. Coworkers attempted life saving methods prior to and while the employee was being lifted from the vessel to the dock for awaiting emergency medical personnel.

Keywords: LONGSHORING, PPE, CRUSHED