Longshore Worker Dead in Dockside Runover [Jacksonville, Florida – 28 January 2021]

Posted by admin on Jan 28, 2021 in Bulletins

With the greatest of regret (and a bit of indignant anger) Blueoceana Company has been made aware of a horrible accident occurring today at the Blount Island Marine Terminal in Jacksonvile port, Florida.

In that accident, a 50-something year old female longshore worker (a member of ILA Local Union 1408) was violently run over by the solid tire rear wheels of a bombcart, causing devastating injuries that were ultimately unsurvivable.

We believe the following narrative to be largely (if not entirely) accurate:

The stevedoring company of record was working 3 gangs against C/V ZIM ROTTERDAM (See photo below). A longshore worker was operating a yard tractor/bombcart combination and was allegedly under the crane; in the lane closest to the ship. She pulled away from the ship with a load, cutting across all lanes; moving in between two cranes and stopping next to a dock foreman’s car in or near the back reach.

Opening up her yard tractor’s window, she proffered her cellphone and asked the 50-something female pedestrian longshore worker (who was standing nearby) if she would hand the phone to the foreman for recharging in the foreman’s car. Once that was settled, the yard tractor operator pulled away…. but neglected to accurately account for the turn radius of her bombcart. As a result, the pedestrian worker was pinned between the bombcart and the foreman’s vehicle; she was then drawn under the rear wheels of the bombcart…. which literally tore her up.

The U.S. National Maritime Safety Association produced a training video some years ago, which illustrates the type of accident that claimed this woman’s life earlier today:

What makes this horrible accident all the more frustrating is its cellphone component.

For years, our industry has been pleading, cajoling, imploring and directing that cellphones should not be in general use by vehicle operators during the normal course of marine terminal operations. Yet, cellphone use by every category of vehicle operator is a routinely common sight at most terminals.

There will be those that attempt to rationalize the factual basis of this particular accident. But, for me, the cellphone connection in its overall narrative is indelible; undeniable.

When will it end?

Above: C/V ZIM ROTTERDAM