Shipyard Worker Suffers Head Injuries in Harbor Accident

A California harbor worker is in a medically induced coma after a shipyard accident that left him with major head and facial injuries.

The man was part of a crew that was disassembling a 124-foot-long barge at the Marine Group Boat Works shipyard near Chula Vista Harbor outside San Diego. A beam that the worker believed was still attached came loose and dropped on his head and face. Although the man was wearing a hard hat, he suffered a head injury, facial lacerations and sliced his trachea. The injuries are life-threatening.

The victim was transported to the University of California San Diego Medical Center for treatment. His condition at this time is unknown.

The incident is being classified as an industrial accident.

Injured harbor workers and shipyard workers may be eligible for compensation under the Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act (LHWCA). The LHWCA provides worker’s compensation style benefits to land-based maritime workers, including: longshoremen, dock workers, harbor workers, repairmen, forklift and crane operators, stevedores, and any other worker who loads, unloads, repairs, maintains, builds or dismantles ships and other maritime vessels.