A series of safety failures led to the preventable death of a diver while under water at Manns Harbor Bridge on Croatan Sound in North Carolina, according to the US Department of Labour.
Maryland-based contractor Coastal Gunite Construction failed to evaluate the health of a 47-year-old diver before he started his new job for the company last June, the department has found, and as a consequence he suffered fatal injuries.
The company has been in business since 1983 and employs divers for for marine infrastructure construction, maintenance and repair.
Investigators with the Department of Labour’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) found that a four-member dive-team employed by Coastal Gunite was carrying out an underwater test on the bridge when, seconds after descending from a boat to a depth of about 6m, the diver became unresponsive, failing to answer radio calls.
Team-members extracted the diver from the water and performed CPR while waiting for emergency services to reach the scene, but he could not be revived.
Deficiencies at dive-site
OSHA’s investigators identified several safety deficiencies at the dive-site, including Coastal Gunite’s failure to assess workers’ fitness for diving and ensure that first-aid supplies and a manual resuscitator would be readily available.
In addition, the company had improperly positioned an air intake, exposing employees to possible contamination of their air supply, and did not perform regular air-purity tests on compressor systems, or test air-hose pressure annually.
“Ensuring that employees are physically fit for commercial diving is a fundamental part of workplace safety,” said OSHA’s Raleigh area office director Kim Morton.
“Employers have a duty to protect their workers by implementing strict safety protocols and thorough pre-employment evaluations, particularly in high-risk industries like commercial diving. This tragic incident could have been prevented.”
OSHA cited Coastal Gunite Construction for four serious violations and proposed penalties of US $40,329 (£31,890), the maximum amount it could legally recommend. The company has the option to contest the findings.
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