BATH — A Bath Iron Works employee remained in critical condition at Maine Medical Center Wednesday after he was injured on the job Saturday, according to a union official.
“There was an industrial accident involving a crane,” said Vincent Ceraso, critical incident response director for the International Machinists Union. “This was a freak accident and deemed to be no one’s fault. It wasn’t the crane operator’s fault, it wasn’t the company’s fault and it certainly wasn’t the worker’s fault.”
Local S6, the shipyard’s largest union, identified the worker on its website as Garrett Bailey.
Bailey is a rigger, tasked with securing objects to cranes before they’re lifted into place.
Ceraso said he’s leading group crisis intervention meetings for workers, including around seven employees who witnessed the accident.
“We’re here for the members and the company and we give them advice on how to deal with this situation.” he said. “We want to know if their sleep patterns or eating habits have changed since the accident. We want everyone to get back to as close to normal as possible. We don’t want this to have a bad effect on their wellbeing or family.”
While the company and union have ruled the injury an accident, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration New England bureau is investigating the incident, according to Ted Fitzgerald, spokesman for the bureau.
“Coworkers, BIW EMTs, safety personnel and City of Bath Rescue took decisive action and provided immediate medical attention,” BIW Spokesman David Hench wrote in a statement Tuesday. “We are working to provide every assistance to our fellow employee and his family. As information becomes available, we will make every effort to share it and we are working on establishing a way for all those who wish to express their support and prayers to do so.”
BIW declined to comment on the incident Wednesday.
The Local S6 union started a Go Fund Me online fundraiser with a $20,000 goal to help pay for Bailey’s medical bills. As of Wednesday afternoon, the effort has raised $13,974.
“He has been through several surgeries and medical procedures since the accident,” union leaders wrote on the fundraiser page. “His injuries are some of the most severe Local Lodge S6 has ever encountered.”
Local S6 of the machinists union did not return requests for comment Wednesday.
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