Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307045443 - Marine Tech Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Eau Claire Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:00 a.m. on June 4, 2008, Employee #1 was working aboard a 120-ft spud barge, vessel Number 1030701. Employee #1's job was to perform dredging operations in the harbor, for the Army Corps of Engineers. As a barge operator, Employee #1 was required to position the barge as required, using the front and rear spuds to walk the barge into position. On the day of the accident the trailing spud became dislodged from its normal position, broke its securing cable and required the employees to realign it. The employees raised the spud using the spuds lifting cable. They then attached a second cable around the spud from the deck winch, and the deck winch was used to help realign the spud into its normal position. When the lifting cable broke, the spud was allowed to free-fall pulling the cable from the deck winch with it. The deck winch cable tightened as the spud fell creating a pinch point between the cable and the spud support located on the deck of the spud barge. The pinch was created when a lifting cable attached to a spud broke allowing the item it was holding (the spud) to free fall which caused a second alignment cable that was also attached to the spud to become tight. The pinch point was created between the securing cable and the spud support brace on the deck of the barge. Employee #1 was standing at this place when the accident occurred. Employee #1's right foot was partially severed. Employee #1 was taken to the hospital where his foot was reattached for approximately four days until it became infected and had to be amputated.

Keywords: BARGE, AMPUTATED, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, NIP POINT, FOOT, HOISTLINE