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OSHA cites and fines local diving company after golf ball diver drowns in Ponte Vedra pond

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax has learned a local dive company has been fined $27,935 after a 26-year-old employee drowned in a golf course pond.

The drowning happened at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club.

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The victim, William Rynearson, was working for BallHawker for only three days before he drowned in the pond.

Now, the company is facing several Occupational Safety and Health Administration citations and a hefty fine after his death.

Action News Jax obtained the 911 call from the day Rynearson drowned in December.

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“We’ve got a man that appears to be either dead or about to die in the water at the golf course at Ponte Vedra Inn and Club,” a bystander said to the 911 dispatcher.

The bystander frantically called 911 as another golf ball diver performed CPR on Rynearson.

Rynearson was working under BallHawker, a commercial diving and recovery company, diving for golf balls when his scuba partner resurfaced and he didn’t follow.

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Now, seven months later, OSHA is citing BallHawker for 9 serious violations and fining the company.

“Ballhawker ignored safety standards and a young man lost his life. 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,” said OSHA Acting Jacksonville Area Office Director Erin Sanchez in a press release.

OSHA found the company failed to:

  • Train divers to handle assigned tasks safely, including using the equipment.
  • Ensure all dive team members are CPR trained.
  • Provide a first-aid handbook or a resuscitator at the dive location.
  • Provide continuous monitoring and oversee diving operations.
  • Inspect diving equipment and components prior to every dive.
  • Test air compressor systems for air purity every six months.
  • Use diver depth gauges.
  • Set up an operational communication system among all dive team members.
  • Comply with pre-dive requirements prior to operations.
  • Develop and maintain a safe practice manual for divers.

Deep 6 Divers chief organizer Chris Martin said certain rules need to be followed when scuba diving. Martin is a certified commercial diver and a former Navy diver.

“Ultimately, if you look at the code of federal regulations, there has to be a designated person in charge and they have to have a safe practices manual,” Martin said.

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Diving consultant Bob Watson said scuba diving is the most dangerous kind of diving, and it requires training. Watson is a 20-year Navy veteran.

“There’s a lot of hazards involved with golf ball diving. You can get entangled, limited air supply,” Watson said.

According to the incident report, both of Rynearson’s parents told deputies they were not aware of any diving experience or certifications their son had.

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All BallHawker’s President Todd Hutchinson could say, according to the report, was that Rynearson told him he had some diving experience.

The incident report states a certified diving technician found no catastrophic malfunctions with Rynearson’s equipment.

His death was ruled an accidental drowning.

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OSHA also found BallHawker failed to keep records of workers and job details.

We tried reaching out to Hutchinson directly, but he wouldn’t answer our questions.

We also reached out to the Rynearson family who wished to not comment at this time.

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