Fall through surface or existing opening 6 to 10 feet · Fractures
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Ports America Texas, Inc., 3927 Wharf Road, GALVESTON, TEXAS 77550
on — Fractures, affecting the chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders.
Final narrative
An employee was unhooking straps that were securing a shrink-wrapped windmill hub. The employee stepped on the shrink wrap, which was covering a hole, causing them to fall approximately 8 feet. The employee sustained rib fractures and contusions.
HospitalizedChest, except internal location of diseases or disordersWindmills, wind turbines
An employee was releasing cargo chains tied around an excavator in a cargo hold on level 1 of the vessel. During that time, some of the latch hooks on the chains became wedged and would not budge. A coworker used a pry bar to help release the chains. The coworker pulled on the pry bar, which slipped from the coworker's grasp and flew towards the injured employee. The pry bar struck the injured employee in the head, requiring hospitalization.
An employee was laying out a 2-by-4 for railing on a second floor. The employee fell backward through an opening and landed on a concrete floor about 9.5 feet below, suffering broken vertebrae.
An employee was a spotter for a trap door that was being tested prior to a show. The trap door activated and the employee fell approximately 8 feet onto stunt mats that were covering the floor below. The employee sustained a fractured right shoulder, a dislocated right ankle, and a sprained left ankle.
An employee was moving a robot when they fell approximately 9 feet through a catwalk hole and landed on the floor. The employee sustained a head injury.
An employee was working in the attic of a modular home. As he was attaching a 2x4, the employee fell 9 feet through the ceiling to the ground. He sustained a fracture near the spinal cord.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 488320)
While preparing to install a new spool piece for a vapor and spent sulfuric acid line, an employee was working to ensure there was no residual product or pressure in the line before removing the 6-inch hose. The valve was cracked, and some spent acid still in the line sprayed out. The employee was standing off to the side and at a distance, but was still contacted by the hot acid, resulting in corrosive and thermal burns to their upper torso and mid-thighs of both legs.
An employee was driving a utility tractor rig when it struck the rear trailer of another utility tractor rig, which was traveling in the opposite direction. The glancing impact caused damage to the cab, and he sustained a laceration on right side of his face, a cervical fracture, two fractured left ribs, and a pelvic fracture. The employee was hospitalized.
The injured employee was standing by the controls for the electric spud system on the barge, preparing to raise the spuds. Meanwhile, an excavator was moving a mat on the deck. As the excavator swung from port to starboard, it's counterweight struck the injured employee s shoulder, causing them to lose balance and fall against the spud controls. The employee sustained bruises and contusions to their right shoulder and chest.
An employee was standing on the outside edge of a hopper barge while watching a skid steer push ore for an excavator (with a clamshell bucket) to unload. The excavator was on a work barge. The bucket of the excavator struck the employee and caused a near-amputation of their right arm and fractures of the ulna and radius of the left arm. The right arm required surgery.
An employee was inspecting a conveyor to see why it was not running. The employee entered the the conveyor motor area, tripped on a piece of angle iron welded to the floor, and fell. The employee sustained a fractured orbital bone.
After cutting a slab of beef short ribs, an employee turned to grab the pieces he had cut and his right hand contacted the saw blade. The employee sustained an amputation to his right index finger.
An employee was unloading a carpet pad from a truck when they fell from the truck dock to the concrete below, resulting in five fractured ribs and an injury to their left lung.
An employee was walking up a walkway to enter a building through the back entrance when she tripped over the lip of the cement ramp. The employee fell and sustained a fractured right hip.