PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Federal workplace inspectors are investigating a report of a 26-year-old diver who drowned in a golf course pond after only working three days for a diving and recovery company at Fleming Island.
The U.S. Department of Labor says Ballhawker of Florida Inc. did not follow mandatory safety standards, including failing to provide sufficient supervision and required training.
The death of the diver happened in December 2021 when a dive technician and a coworker worked to recover golf balls in a pond. The diver then reportedly became unresponsive when he was underwater; the coworker pulled him out of the water and asked a nearby golfer to call 911, the U.S. Department of Labor said in a news release.
The diver was reportedly taken to a hospital, where he later was pronounced dead.
The Department of Labor issued citations to the company for 12 serious violations, including failing to train divers in handling tasks safely and ensuring all members of the dive team are CPR trained. Ballhawker of Florida Inc. is now facing up to $55,870 in penalties, the Miami Herald reports.
The company did not immediately respond to the newspaper's request for comment.
Inspectors say Ballhawker also did not keep records of their workers and job details.
"Ballhawker ignored safety standards and a young man lost his life,” OSHA Acting Area Office Director Erin Sanchez stated in the news release. “Commercial divers are exposed to a variety of hazards, and it is an employer’s responsibility to not start a dive until it is safe.”
The Fleming Island-based company has 15 business days to request an informal conference with OSHA, the Department of Labor said.
