Inspection Detail

Inspection: 102256914 - Transocean Terminal Operators, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

On July 6, 1993, at 8:00 a.m., longshoremen began discharging containers from a vessel called La Minera, which was docked at Napoleon Ave. "A" wharf. Discharging was complete by 11:00 or 11:15 a.m., and container loading began. La Minera is a small, two-hatch vessel that holds two rows of 40 foot (12.2 m) containers, about six across from port to starboard, on each hatch. The #2 hatch had been loaded, and the #1 hatch had three containers 1-high from the port side (river side). The longshoremen discovered that the second container on this hatch was not properly seated and could not be secured (pinned). The crane operator positioned the spreader bar over that container and Employee #1 and another longshoreman hooked two of the four cables onto the end of the container. Employee #1 was standing on top of the first container; as the crane boomed up, one of the loose cables swung toward him; he grabbed it and its momentum carried him over the river. Employee #1 either let go or lost his grip and fell into the river at 3:30 p.m. His body was recovered on July 8, 1993, at 10:40 a.m. at First Street.

Keywords: LONGSHORING, WIRE ROPE, WORK RULES, RIVER, SHIP, FALL, OFF LOADING, DROWN, CRANE