Marine Terminal Worker Drowns During Barge Hatch Cover Shifting [Convent, LA – 20 March 2017]

Posted by admin on Apr 7, 2017 in Bulletins

After nearly two weeks of attempting to secure some tangible media coverage, Blueoceana Company must now independently report the death of an employee at Associated Terminals, Inc. of Convent, Louisiana http://www.associatedterminals.com.

Reports coming to our firm, indicate that Earnest Harris was engaged in shifting two or more nested, fiberglass hatch covers coming off a barge moored at Associated’s Mississippi River facility. Apparently, the load got away from both he and a crane operator, causing him to be pushed into the River where he was swept away by the current. It is unknown as to whether or not he was wearing any form of personal floatation.

We do know that OSHA has initiated an accident investigation (see link below), and we await further developments flowing from any enforcement action the agency may take.

Link to Blueoceana Company News Service Release:  Blueoceana News Service (Associated Terminals Worker – 032017)

Link to OSHA Inspection Activity Page: Associated Terminals Inspection Detail | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

UPDATE [01 July 2018]: Information coming to Blueoceana Company now indicates that the deceased worker (Earnest Harris) was in fact a Jones Act seaman linked to a tug/barge arrangement; not a marine terminal or longshore worker.

In re Jones Act litigation:  JONES V. ASSOCIATED MARINE TERMINALS, LLC, ET AL.