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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 304473903 - U.S. Customs Service
Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office
Site Address:
U.S. Customs Service
423 Canal St
New Orleans, LA 70130
Mailing Address:
423 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Union Status: Union
SIC:9999
NAICS: 0
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership:
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 11/02/2001
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 07/11/2003
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 100552793 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 5 | 5 | ||||
| Current Violations | 5 | 5 | ||||
| Initial Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Current Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Serious | 19100146 C01 | 01/11/2002 | 01/17/2002 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - | ||
| 2. | 01002 | Serious | 19100146 C04 | 01/11/2002 | 01/17/2002 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - | ||
| 3. | 01003 | Serious | 19100146 C05 IIC | 01/11/2002 | 01/17/2002 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - | ||
| 4. | 01004 | Serious | 19600055 A | 01/11/2002 | 01/17/2002 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - | ||
| 5. | 01005 | Serious | 19600059 A | 01/11/2002 | 01/17/2002 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - |
Investigation Summary
At approximately 3:00 a.m. on October 30, 2001, Employee #1 and a coworker, both U.S. Customs Service Inspectors, boarded the scrap metal cargo ship Sakura, which was docked at Bayou Steels in LaPlace, LA, to perform a routine inspection of the ship. Employee #1, the coworker, the captain of the ship, and a ship's mate opened a hatch that led down into the scrap metal cargo area. Employee #1 entered the hold while the others waited on deck. After a few minutes, they yelled to Employee #1 but received no answer. The ship's mate then entered the hold to check on Employee #1, but he, too, did not return or respond to calls. The ship's captain then went in the hold and passed out in sight of the remaining Customs inspector on deck. The second inspector left and started waking up the rest of the crew for help and called the fire department. Employee #1, the ship's mate and the ship's captain all died inside the cargo area. Preliminary autopsies indicated that the three men may have suffocated from lack of oxygen in the hold.
Keywords: UNCONSCIOUSNESS, ASPHYXIATED, DOCK, CONFINED SPACE, PPE, WORK RULES, SCBA, SHIP
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 304473903 | Fatality | Asphyxia | Occupation not reported |