What Are Dredging Vessels?
Excavating material from the bottom of a river, lake, or seabed requires a specific kind of vessel. Companies utilize dredging vessels to deepen ship channels, destroy sediment buildup on riverbeds, and fish for crabs and clams. Because these are vital for clearing waterways, they're common on all freshwater shipping lanes and channels.
There's no one type of dredging vessel. All the following vessels are considered dredging vessels:
- Vacuum or suction dredgers
- Bucket dredgers
- Clamshell dredgers
- Backhoe dredges
- Water injection dredges
- Pneumatic dredges
- Bed levelers
- Snagboats
- Fishing dredges
- And others
How Dangerous Is Dredging?
Because dredging often requires the removal or manipulation of several tons of material, the machinery used on the vessels is dangerous and often unwieldy. Clamshell dredges come with the risk of dropping objects on dredge workers, while dredges that drag the seabed might hook onto a gas line and cause a leak, or even an explosion.
Common dredge accidents and hazards include:
- Falling objects or materials
- Malfunctioning machinery
- Improperly maintained machinery
- Inadequate safety equipment and training
- Explosions
- Collisions with other vessels
A document on dredging safety from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported that dredging accidents are often life-changing or fatal. In the 12-month period used for the USACE data, there were 7 dredge accidents. Of those 7, 3 were fatal, 2 caused serious injury, and 2 caused major property damage. Those are the dangers unique to dredging vessels; dredge workers are also subject to the 'normal' risks offshore workers face in their regular duties.
What Are Common Dredge Worker Injuries?
Falls and drownings are common accidents aboard dredging vessels. The risk of falling and/or drowning doesn't necessarily only happen at sea, either. USACE reports one instance where a crew member fell from the gangway and died while boarding his vessel. Due to the serious weight and scale of dredging work, the injuries associated with working on a dredge are often equally serious. Common dredge worker injuries include the following:
The Corpus Christi Ship Channel Explosion
Dredges are important because of how much other industries rely on them to make safe water channels. Since a dredge often operates alongside other types of commerce, they risk facing the dangers of being near larger ships and dangerous materials associated with these industries.
On August 21, 2020, a Corpus Christi Ship Channel explosion claimed the lives of four workers and injured eight more. The incident occurred after the dredging vessel Waymon L Boyd struck a submerged pipeline and triggered a massive explosion. After the blast, the dredger caught on fire, broke apart, and sank.
The vessel was owned and operated by the Orion Group. It took three days to recover the bodies of all victims. Initial reports indicated that the submerged pipeline was not properly marked to alert dredge workers of its presence.
Other Incidents involving the Wayman L. Boyd & Orion Marine Group
The Wayman L. Boyd and Orion Marine Group were at the center of a lawsuit in 2012. The case involved a voyage from Houston to Port Lavaca. Additional details are unclear at this time. Then, in 2014, a worker was airlifted to the hospital after he was struck by a bucket in Olympia, Washington. Finally, Orion Marine received at least one citation for a serious violation for them Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the months before this incident.
Call Our Dredge Injury Lawyers Now at (888) 493-1629
Arnold & Itkin isn’t afraid of the fight it takes to get injured offshore workers and their families the compensation they deserve. When negligence caused the Deepwater Horizon to explode, we were there to demand answers for its crew. After the El Faro was ordered to sail into a dangerous storm and disappeared, we helped family members of the lost crew hold its owner accountable. These are just two examples of the ways we’ve helped offshore workers and their families.
Our history of results makes Arnold & Itkin the team those suffering from dredging accidents need. We never accept excuses, we always seek the best results, and we refuse to back down from a fight because our clients deserve justice, no matter what. Call us now for a free consultation of your case with our top-rated Houston injury law firm. Receiving our help is affordable because we only charge for our services if we obtain results for you!
Finding answers starts with a phone call. Our dredge accident lawyers are standing by to help you now at (888) 493-1629.
Our team proudly serves the injured nationwide, including throughout Texas, Louisiana, and the entire Gulf Coast. We help individual from places such as San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Laredo, Brownsville, Pasadena, McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Pharr, Harlingen, Victoria, Weslaco, Rio Grande City, Hidalgo, Port Lavaca, Roma, and the surrounding areas.
