Excavator too close ‘pon de edge’...
Causes pause in Marine Works Ltd. Construction project

By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WHAT started out as a normal working day at the St. Kitts Marine Works Ltd., in New Guinea ended in a tragic accident that almost cost the life of an employee.

Yesterday (Sep. 25), Curtis Simmonds, second most senior person at the site, was reportedly operating an excavator to pack stones on a revetment out at sea, being extended by the company.
 
Simmonds was reversing while taking boulders to be placed behind him in an effort to easily manoeuvre the machine and get the work done efficiently.
 
However, it was reported that not being able to clearly see behind him, he reversed the vehicle directly into the water, leaving only the dipper arm of the machine visible.

The company’s guard, who was on duty at the time of the accident, told SKNVibes that the operator was reversing for a while and, within a matter of seconds, when she had glanced down at the area, the machine had toppled over the revetment and was almost entirely below the water.

“He was inside the excavator and he went down with it. But, the good thing is that he always drives the excavator with the door open, and so, he just swam through the door and came up to the top [surface of the water]. He is a very good diver, so it’s a good thing he could have handled the situation properly.

“When he came up, he was still conscious and knew exactly what had happened. I ran down here; I didn’t feel right at all. But I am so thankful that he was safe because we really don’t want to lose anybody across here.”

When contacted, the Director of St. Kitts Marine Works Ltd., Regiwell Francis, explained that Simmonds, whom he called “an experienced veteran”, made a misjudgement that led to the vehicle capsising into the water, and explained the outcome of the accident.  ~~Adz:Left~~

“This is affecting me! In fact, we may have a two to three-day pause on construction. The machine costs nearly EC$750 000. I will have to take it out, flush it out and then rewire it. But the project will not stop; this is just a distraction. The break-water is long enough to protect the pier and continue work,” Francis said. “But, the main thing is that everybody is safe, the driver was not injured and no lives were lost, and that’s the good thing.”

Simmonds suffered mild injuries of a cut and minor bruises to his arm, and was taken to the Pogson Hospital in Sandy Point for a procedural safety check-up.