Safety bulletins were issued for the guidance of persu.nel in viewing
the Teak and Orange events. All stations were given a final check during a
5 day period after the last event.
Unusual Incidents and Special Probiems. Several helicopter crashes
occurred during the operation; one resulted in the death of a TG 7.1 scientist.
That accident {s discussed in the Accident Summary and a complete report
is on file in the office of the Safety Advisor. Other crashes resulted in
minor injuries.
Use of motor vehicles continued to be a problem. There were several
instances of abuse to government vehicles, driving in an unsafe manner, too
fast for road conditions and vehicle design, and overloading vehicles.
(One
observer reported 11 men riding in or on one jeep.) Greater disciplinary
action appears to be indicated. Part of the problem lies in the difficulty of
identifying the personnel involved. Several incidents occurred at night and
the vehicles were damaged and abandoned.
At the request of JTF 7, shark nets were installed around the swimming
areas at Parry, Eniwetok, and Japtan Islands at Eniwetok Atoll and at Enyu
Island at Bikini Atoll.
These were damaged by rough seas and by wave ac-
tion following detonation of devices.
They were intact less than 3 months.
There were no reports during the operation of injury to personnel of TG 7.1
or other Task Groups from attacks by sea life. One TG 7.5 employee stepped
on a stonefish in the swimming area off Eniwetok Island and was disabled
for a few days.
Accident Summary.
One fatality occurred to TG 7.1 personnel: Mark
M. Mills, a UCRL senior scientist, was drowned when a helicopter went down
in the water off Rojoa Island, Eniwetok Atoll, during a rain squall on a night
flight on April 7, 1958. Harry B. Keller was a passenger in the same craft
and was hospitalized for 3 days. Keller had stopped breathing and was revived by means of artificial respiration applied by Col. Ernest A. Pinson,
another passenger, and the crew.
.
:
The ratio of disabling injuries and diseases to minor injuries appears
to be high. Out of 77 injuries and diseases reported to the dispensaries, 19
resulted in time lost from work. Of the 19 disabling injuries, 9 originated
in recreational activities and 9 were occupational. Other than the death of
Mark Mills and the potentially serious injury of Harry Keller, none of the
accidents were serious; none resulted in a time loss of more than 3 days.
Briefly, lost-time occupational injuries were as follows: two back injuries resulting from lifting cylinders and while working on a rocket launcher,
tip of finger amputated while operating hoist, fragments from blasting cap
imbedded in shoulder, injured thigh when equipment shifted on deck of ship,
dislocated elbow when employee slipped on greasy deck of ship, fungus infection on leg.
The recreational accidents were as follows: fractured ankle while playing basketball, dislocated thumb while playing softball, dislocated knee cap
while playing volleyball, infected eye when hit by coconut being tossed, prob-
able insect bite while on beach, laceration from rusty metal on beach, injured
back when employee slipped on rock on beach, 3 days lost due to sunburn,
and broken ankle when employee slipped, probably while intoxicated. Another
employee was disabled at Eniwetok from sunburn received in Honolulu prior
to arrival at Eniwetok.
A preliminary examination shows the following injuries reported to dispensaries at Johnston Island: occupational, 16; recreational, 7. The recrea-~
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