ILA Mechanic Fatally Injured at Container Repair Activity [Houston, Texas – 16 August 2018]

Posted by admin on Aug 16, 2018 in Bulletins

With all the regret and sadness that the writer can muster, we’ve received confirmed reports of a fatal accident that took place earlier this evening at an MT container yard/repair depot at or near the Barbours Cut Marine Terminal in Houston, Texas.

From information conveyed thus far, our understanding is that a mechanic (a member of ILA Local Union 28) was preparing to conduct some repair work on an empty intermodal container and, while setting support jacks in concert with a fellow mechanic who was using a forklift truck to place the container, was struck and crushed by the container as it slid off the industrial truck’s forks.

The two Co-Chairmen of the ILA~USMX Joint Safety Committee are scrambling for air reservations that will get them to Houston tomorrow, whereupon more facts will certainly become known.

We will withhold the identity of the mechanic until such time as all family members are apprized of this tragic loss. This is, however, a very, very sad circumstance, as further updates will disclose.

Update 17 Aug/2:00 PM EST:   We are at liberty to say now, that the ILA mechanic killed in yesterday’s accident was Mr. Cory Carter. Mr. Carter was a 28 year old father of 9 children, and nephew to the president of ILA Local Union 28. Both Co-Chairmen of the ILA~USMX Joint Safety Committee have arrived at Houston and are actively engaged in this accident’s investigation.

Update 18 August/10:30 AM EST:  We’ve been briefed this morning by those on the ground at Houston investigating this accident, and for the sake of learning it’s probably worthwhile to set out what we’ve been made to understand.

The photo below shows the forklift truck that was being used, and the area at the door end of the 20′ container that was being lifted. Within this repair shop, we understand that a rail mounted overhead hoist is typically used to move and place containers for repair purposes. On the day of the accident, it was inoperable.

The mechanics were to perform the removal and restoration of a badly damaged floor, and once the floor fasteners were withdrawn the process used to remove the damaged floor area included the under-the-container placement of a stationary jack (see photo below) which would push that damaged section of the floor upwards once the container was set upon it.

In this procedure, someone had to place the jack underneath the floor area requiring the “jack up.” That someone was Cody Carter, a young man of 28 years; a family man with 9 children under his care, and nephew of a personal friend at Houston that the writer would do about anything for……

The process, was for the forklift operator to raise the door end of the box sufficiently enough for Cody to place the stationary jack in the right spot underneath the container. It was an exercise that has allegedly been conducted at this particular shop for some time.

As Cody was in the process of placing the jack, statements of some present in the shop would have us conclude that the container slipped off the industrial truck’s blades. Supplemental evidence to support that conclusion, however, is somewhat equivocal. In any event, the fallen weight of the empty box was borne by Cody’s upper body.

Above:  Stationary jack used to push out the container’s floor from below