As-Yet Unnamed Worker Suffers Fatal Heart Attack After Climbing Gantry Crane Stairway [Southampton, UK – 14 July 2022]

Posted by admin on Jul 14, 2022 in Bulletins

Blueoceana Company has been made aware of a fatal heart attack experienced by a security firm contractor’s employee, while climbing a system of one hundred and eighty-seven (187) steps leading to the cab of one of the DP World terminal’s container gantry cranes at Southampton port, UK.

Ordinarily, we shy away from reporting on incidents/events that are occasioned by physical illness, but this one is a little different and worthy of exploring as it has potentially wider ramifications.

Earlier today (14 July), our understanding is that a rescue-the-stricken-crane-operator type of drill was being conducted at the DP World marine terminal at Southampton port. As part of that drill, our further understanding (based on seemingly reliable information coming from persons on-site) is that an employee of a security contractor (acting as an “emergency responder”) was part of a party that climbed the crane’s 187 steps leading to the operators cab; carrying an automatic emergency defibrillator (AED). When reaching the top of the last set of stairs, our understanding is that he collapsed and subsequently died.

Ostensibly, the stairs were used in order to simulate worst-case conditions.

One news media account (See link below) was apparently in error in describing the stricken worker as a crane operator, amongst other apparent errors.

Emergency responders from the nearby locality were called to the scene to lower the victim to ground level, which was, we understand, accomplished with some difficulty.

Link to Only Available Media Account (Somewhat flawed):

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:717181ca-0d7d-39e5-b64d-5f35645aabd1