Inspection Detail

Inspection: 3045028 - T. A. Loving Company

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING ON A BARGE WHICH WAS TRANSPORTING CONCRETE PILINGS FROM AN OLD BRIDGE (BEING DISMANTLED) TO SEA. THE PILINGS WERE TO BE DUMPED TO CREATE AN ARTIFICIAL REEF. WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE DUMP SITE THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE BARGE'S PIVOTAL TYPE CARRIAGE SYSTEM (USED TO DUMP THE LOAD) WAS WAS INOPERABLE AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO PULL THE PILINGS FROM THE BARGE, USING THE TUG BOAT WHICH HAD TOWED THE BARGE TO THE SITE. A WIRE ROPE WAS USED TO ATTACH THE PILINGS TO THE TUG. THE TUG WOULD THEN PULL THE PILINGS OFF THE BARGE. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING ON THE BARGE ATTACHING THE WIRE ROPE TO THE PILINGS. THIS PROCEDURE HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT INCIDENT FOR THE FIRST EIGHT PILINGS. ON THE NINTH ATTEMPT, EMPLOYEE #1 NOTICED, AFTER HE HAD ATTACHED THE WIRE ROPE, THAT THE ROPE WAS LYING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF A DECK BIT AT THE CORNER OF THE BARGE. HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE ROPE TO THE PROPER SIDE. THE ROPE TIGHTENED DUE TO THE TUG'S MOVEMENT, TRAPPING EMPLOYEE #1'S LEGS BETWEEN THE WIRE ROPE AND THE STATIONARY BIT. THE PRESSURE OF THE ROPE AGAINST HIS LOWER LEGS RESULTED IN THE AMPUTATION OF HIS RIGHT LEG BELOW THE KNEE AND A SEVERE CRUSHING AND LACERATION INJURY TO HIS LEFT LEG.

Keywords: KNEE, AMPUTATED, WIRE ROPE, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, LACERATION, INATTENTION, LEG