BRAINTREE, Mass. (AP) – A New Bedford seafood processor faces potential fines totaling $46,900 for alleged safety violations that contributed to a dock worker’s death from carbon monoxide poisoning, federal authorities said Monday. Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued 11 citations against Carlos Seafood Inc. after the Nov. 9 death of Jose Baptista.
The 38-year-old dock worker was using a gasoline-powered pressure washer to clean the inside of a water tank in a fishing boat at a New Bedford wharf when he was overcome by carbon monoxide fumes.
Police said one worker called 911, and returned to find two other workers unconscious. The other workers were hospitalized but survived.
Federal inspectors from OSHA’s Braintree office found Carlos Seafood failed to take steps to reduce carbon monoxide levels and did not properly equip or train employees to work safely in confined spaces.
The company can request a meeting with OSHA, and choose to contest the fines.
Carlos Rafael, the company’s owner, declined to comment Monday.
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