Inspection Detail

Inspection: 110418548 - Litton Avondale Industries

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:00 a.m. on November 26, 1990, Employee #1, the first-class fitter, was helping to install a webb frame on platen 20 of a ship. The webb frame was rigged by a two-chain hoist, and connected to a Kraneco overhead gantry bridge crane, serial #4141-A. When the webb frame was positioned to fit between the deck's tee beams, one of the tee beams blocked the frame and prevented it from falling into place. Employee #1 told his helper to unhook one of the chains from the webb frame, thinking this would allow the frame to fall into place. When this did not work, Employee #1 decided not to rehook the chain, but to use a cutting torch to trim the tee beam and "inch" the webb frame into position. The frame, with one chain unhooked, flipped onto Employee #1 and killed him.

Keywords: SHIPYARD, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, OVERTURN