Superior police investigate death at Fraser Shipyards
Dec. 6—SUPERIOR — A 64-year-old man of Watertown, Wisconsin, was found dead Monday at Fraser Shipyards after reportedly falling off a ship in dry dock. According to a news release from the Superior Police Department, the initial call around 11:50 a.m. reported that a worker had fallen from a ship approximately 50 feet to the ground below.
Lifesaving efforts were made, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the victim is being withheld pending family notification.
The incident remains under investigation, though the police department noted it does not suspect it was "anything other than a tragic accident," according to the release.
"We extend our heartfelt condolences to the worker's family and friends for their loss," read the release.
Monday's fatal accident is the second in five years at the Superior-based shipyard.
Welder Joseph Burch died of sepsis
after he was burned in a workplace incident aboard the docked freighter Roger Blough at Fraser in 2017. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration concluded that Burch was wearing frayed coveralls and not provided with fire-retardant gear as he washed old welds using an oxygen-acetylene torch in a cargo hold.
In 2018, a group of 60 workers received a $7.5 million civil court settlement after they'd been exposed to dangerous levels of lead in 2016 at Fraser Shipyards. The settlement was related to work to install new engines on the lake freighter Herbert C. Jackson. In that instance,
Fraser also settled a $1.4 million OSHA penalty, paying $700,000
.
Fraser paid a penalty of more than $9,000 in 2019
after an employee was struck by falling steel plates, leading to a citation from OSHA.
