ILA Longshoreman Fatally Injured in Mafi-Loading Incident [Freeport, Texas -12 November 2018]
![ILA Longshoreman Fatally Injured in Mafi-Loading Incident [Freeport, Texas -12 November 2018]](https://blueoceana.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cargo-trailer-system-2-01-ca-623x200.jpg)
With great regret, preliminary and unconfirmed reports would have us understand that a longshore worker was fatally injured earlier today in a trailer/mafi loading incident at Freeport, Texas.
While not in possession of many facts at the present time, those reports appear to indicate that a crane’s outrigger (part of a disassembled lifting appliance to be shipped as cargo) was being loaded onto the vehicle by an industrial truck in anticipation of bringing it aboard a Ro-Ro vessel. While the marine terminal operator has not been conclusively identified, one unconfirmed report coming to Blueoceana Company indicates that Red Hook Terminals was the employer of record and that the accident victim was under the direct supervision of Horizon Terminal Services, LLC. Given the representations made within the following links, the unconfirmed assertions appearing above seem to be aligning:
Somehow in the mafi loading process it is alleged that the outrigger came away from the machine loading it, striking and fatally injuring the worker.
We understand that the worker was a member of the ILA, and that two officials of that union have been dispatched to initiate an investigation.
Additional facts (and any confirmations/corrections to the foregoing) should be available in the very near future, and will appear within this post as Update[s].
UPDATE – 17 November 2018 [9:30 AM EST): We are able to confirm that the fatally injured worker was Mr. Jose Mireles, a 15 year veteran of the ILA and Vice President of ILA Local Union 30. We grieve, along with his family, friends and co-workers. Also, we now understand that one theory relating to the cause of this accident would have it that the placement of the disassembled crane’s four outriggers on the mafi roll trailer was problematic. It has been reported through reliable sources, that instead of loading the 16′ x 2′ outriggers into a horizontal position, they were stowed vertically (see photo below). While securing the last of the four outriggers, the accident victim attached a piece of lashing gear to it and stepped down from the mafi’s deck to conclude his making the lashing gear fast to the mafi. As he did so, the unstable outrigger lost its balance and fell on him. He sustained crushing injuries.
Link to [fundamentally flawed] media account: Man crushed by steel beam at Port Freeport (111518)
