30.01.2021

Rigger seriously injured in crane incident

A rigger/ship fitter working at the Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine, just north of Portland, US, was critically injured on January 25th while working with one of the cranes on site.

The company has provided some basic updates on the progress of the man, Garret Lynn Bailey, but so far has not said any details of the accident and its cause. Bailey’s condition has improved over the week and he is now said to be in a fair condition, following a number of operations.

A spokesman for the company, which is owned by General Dynamics, said: “We are working to provide every assistance to our fellow employee and his family. Understanding the facts and circumstances that led to this unfortunate accident is critical so we can learn from them and ensure that something like this never happens again.”

They also added that co-workers and the shipyard’s first responders took effective decisive action to provide immediate medical attention. We understand that Federal OSHA is investigating the incident.

Bailey's union, Local S6 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said that his injuries were “some of the most severe” it has seen and added that the incident was no one's fault. The union has also launched a GoFundMe campaign, which has already raised more than $25,000, to support his family - see: www.gofundme.com/f/nzmhv-garret-lynn-bailey-medical-support.
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Bath Iron Works from the road