Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310896915 - George Harms Construction Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Marlton Area Office

Inspection Nr: 310896915

Report ID: 0213900

Date Opened: 04/18/2007

Site Address:
George Harms Construction Co., Inc.
Route 70 Bridge
Manasquan, NJ 08736

Mailing Address:
Po Box 817, Farmingdale, NJ 07727

Union Status: Union

SIC:1611

NAICS: 237310/ Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 05/12/2007

Emphasis: S:Hwy Street Bridge Constr

Case Closed: 04/16/2009

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	101773604

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	2					2
Current Violations	1					1
Initial Penalty	$7,000	$0	$0	$0	$0	$7,000
Current Penalty	$3,500	$0	$0	$0	$0	$3,500
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001	Serious	19260020 B01	10/12/2007	10/17/2007	$3,500	$3,500	$0	11/02/2007	J - ALJ Decision
2.	01002	Serious	19260021 B02	10/12/2007	10/24/2007	$3,500	$3,500	$0	11/02/2007	J - ALJ Decision	Citation has been deleted.

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 201773074

Event: 04/18/2007

Employee Drowns When Caught by Capsizing Barge

At approximately 3:45 PM on April 18, 2007, Employee #1 had accessed a hopper barge to release a cable that had been used to support the barge on the starboard side. The barge, a Flexifloat, is a modular system consisting of two 10 ft by 40 ft sections side by side with another 10 ft by 20 ft section attached at the end. The total size was 20 ft by 50 ft. The hopper section consisted of 1-in. plate steel. The plates were welded vertically to the deck and the side plates were welded at an angle with steel I beams for support to deflect material to the center. The plates were approximately 8 ft high. The barge was used to catch construction debris from a bridge that was being demolished. After Employee #1 released the cable, a coworker who was operating a tug boat, put the boat at notch one in reverse to back the barge out from under the bridge. After moving approximately 2 ft the barge listed to starboard approximately 6 to12 inches. It then rolled back to port the same distance, then back to even keel. It then rolled back to port and capsized both vessels. As the vessels were rolling to the port side, Employee #1 jumped into the water and started to swim away. The coworker, at almost the same time, jumped from the pilot house and swam away. As the barge capsized, Employee #1 was caught in the hopper section trapping him under the barge and he drowned.

Keywords: BARGE, ASPHYXIATED, JUMP ON MOVING EQUIP, CAUGHT BY, CAUGHT BETWEEN, DROWN, BOAT, OVERTURN

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	310896915			Fatality	Asphyxia	Sailors and deckhands

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