Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The US Department of Labor ((USDOL) has opened an investigation into an industrial incident that claimed the lives of two men at the main dock of the Port of Pago Pago two weeks ago, says a federal labor official, who was responding to Samoa News inquiries.

The probe is being conducted by USDOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which oversees safety and healthful working conditions for workers, setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.

“We can confirm that OSHA is currently investigating this incident,” USDOL spokesman Jose Carnevali, of the USDOL Regional 9, said last Friday morning responding to Samoa News inquiries. “As this is currently an open investigation, we cannot provide further details or information at this moment.”

Samoa News received information last week Wednesday that OSHA has opened an investigation into the accident, which occurred Apr. 10th at the main dock. A US-based labor expert told Samoa News that OSHA has responsibility over these “industrial cases” and has opened a federal probe.

In past OSHA investigations, the federal agency would send an investigator to American Samoa but with air service between Honolulu and Pago Pago suspended since March of last year, Samoa News — among its questions to USDOL — asked how OSHA will conduct the investigation on the ground, or if it will be working with a local government agency. Carnevali didn’t provide a direct reply to this question, which has also been raised by others in the community.

While officials details of the incident remain unavailable, the deceased — Ariel S. Payos and Addie T. Calibuso — were employed by local company Peter E Reid Stevedoring at the time of the accident.

Samoa News had received confirmation from friends of the two victims that four men were doing routine maintenance on equipment at the main dock when the accident happened. Both deceased left behind wives and children. (See Samoa News edition Apr. 14th for details.)

The last two industrial accidents that caused deaths in American Samoa and investigated by OSHA were all in 2017. More information on OSHA and how to report an incident to the federal agency can be found on the website [www.osha.gov].