THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 12, 1996 TAG: 9610120324
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHRISTOPHER DINSMORE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 38 lines
One person died and another was severely injured in two unrelated accidents Wednesday at Norfolk International Terminals, the Virginia Port Authority confirmed Friday.
Leroy Westcott of Norfolk died at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, port authority spokeswoman Linda Ford said.
Westcott was lashing down cargo containers about 2 p.m. Wednesday aboard the Tyson Lykes when he fell 60 feet off the ship.
Norfolk paramedics took Westcott to Norfolk General. Westcott, whose injuries included head trauma and a broken pelvis, died of cardiac arrest, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The port authority couldn't provide any further information about that accident.
Westcott was a member of the International Longshoremen's Association Local 1248. Officials with the local could not be reached for comment.
A woman driving a forklift was injured in an unrelated accident the same day, Ford said. She is receiving medical treatment, Ford said.
Ford could provide no other details of that accident.
The woman is a member of ILA Local 1458. Officials with the local could not be reached for comment, and the woman's identity could not be determined.
Westcott's is the first death at the Virginia Port Authority's terminals in several years. The authority has terminals in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News.
``Everybody knows how much money we're making, but nobody knows how dangerous our jobs are,'' said one longshoreman, who was working with Westcott on Wednesday, but declined to be identified.
The ILA recently negotiated a new contract that gave the workers significant raises, but reduced the number of people on the ``gangs'' that load and unload ships.
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT WORK FATALITY INJURIES by CNB