Document: 444 U.S. 69 100 S.Ct. 328 62 L.Ed.2d 225 P. C. PFEIFFER COMPANY, INC., et al., Petitioners,v.Diverson FORD al. No. 78-425. Argued March 20, 1979. Reargued Oct. 1, Decided Nov. 27, Syllabus Section 2(3) of the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, as amended in 1972, defines an employee "any person engaged maritime employment, including any longshoreman or other longshoring operations. . ." The question this case is whether two workers were "maritime employment," defined by § 2(3), when they sustained injuries for which sought compensation. Respondent Ford was injured on a public dock Port Beaumont, Tex., while employed petitioner Pfeiffer Co. fastening onto railroad flatcars military vehicles that had been delivered to port ship, stored, then loaded day before accident flatcars. Bryant, working cotton header Ayers Steamship Galveston, unloading bale from dray wagon into pier warehouse. Cotton arriving at inland shippers enters storage compress-warehouses, goes warehouses, later moved longshoremen warehouses ships. Both Ford's Bryant's claims coverage denied Administrative Law Judges applying "point rest" doctrine whereby employment would include only portion process takes place stevedoring gang places cargo loading seaside last point rest dock. Benefits Review Board reversed both decisions, Court Appeals affirmed. On remand reconsideration light Court's decision Northeast Marine Terminal v. Caputo, 432 249, 97 2348, 53 320, rejected theory, reaffirmed its earlier opinion. Held: Bryant time their because intermediate steps moving between ship land transportation. (a) Petitioners' position Act covers who are may be assigned work over water itself inconsistent with language structure contains distinct situs status requirements. 3(a) allows recovery injury suffered navigable waters certain adjoining areas landward water's edge, thus defining broad geographic whereas Act's occupational requirements, referring nature worker's activities. legislative history also shows Congress intended term employment" refer rather than situs. In adopting test focuses unloading, anticipated some persons receive benefits under Act. Cf. supra. Pp. 77-81. (b) kind land-based employees encompass within employment." men type duties perform transferring goods Under doing tasks traditionally performed purview crucial factor activity worker assigned. Persons directly transportation responsible much integral part participates entire process. 81-84. 575 F.2d 79, E. D. Vickery, Houston, petitioners. Peter Buscemi, Washington, C., pro hac vice, special leave Court, respondents. Mr. Justice POWELL opinion Court. 1 44 Stat. 1425, amended, 86 1251, 33 U.S.C. 902(3), seek 2 * April 12, 1973, Diverson accidentally struck middle finger his left hand hammer Tex. injury, fasten number days accident, before. take destination. 3 out warehousemen's local accident. Agreements employers, union, longshoremen's union limit warehousemen Beaumont. Warehousemen not move vessel either car. Nor shoreside vessel. These jobs reserved longshoremen. App. 10-11. 4 May 2, Will arrives compress-warehouses. where driver headers unload store it. Longshoremen 5 Contractual agreements headers' distinguish assignable load off wagons Cargo transportation, handled solely Id., 25, 48-49, 57-58, 60-61. II 6 Before neither nor could have received compensation occurred land. pre-1972 simply effort fill gap workmen's created Southern Pacific Jensen, 244 205, 37 524, 61 L.Ed. 1086 (1917), held state systems reach seaward edge.1 A single requirement governed scope coverage. That limited whose "disability death result[ed] occurring upon United States (including dry dock) 1426. Jensen purpose understood draw sharp line those Thus, Nacirema Operating Johnson, 396 212, 218-220, 90 347, 351-352, 24 371 (1969), did extend attached Although recognized inequities might result rigid adherence line, concluded "[t]he invitation must addressed Congress, Court." U.S., 224,2 354. 7 responded Amendments 1972 (1972 Act).3 now extends more replacing single-situs two-part standard. newly broadened provides "employee" disability "results pier, wharf, dock, terminal, building way, marine railway, area customarily used employer loading, repairing, vessel)." 3(a), 903(a). operations, harborworker repairman, shipbuilder, shipbreaker 902(3). To eligible compensation, sustains 3(a). III 8 This first considered 2(3)'s 320 (1977). concerned workers, Blundo Caputo. checking it removed container he fall.4 Caputo rolling dolly consignee's truck.5 We states explicitly like handle sea meaning 2(3). found, however, consideration remedial purposes behind expansion reveals clear intent cover such workers. 267-278, S.Ct., 2359-2365. 9 One reasons expanded containerization permits conducted aboard Such "longshoring operations." 270-271, 2360-2361. Blundo's job marking even though trucked different being emptied. Therefore, 271, 2361. 10 traditional unaffected advent containerization. But another congressional relevant resolution Caputo's claim. wanted ensure covered completely By enlarging enacting requirement, eligibility federal depend walking down gangway taking step therefore counted "longshoremen" spend "at least indisputably 273, 2362. containers barges well trucks, person. Ibid. Accordingly, decide "engaged final transportation: putting truck." 272, 11 holding theory. test, For example, carried warehouse truck but one not. covered. 12 explained application point-of-rest intent. First, concept, although known industry, mentioned history. Second, standard excludes shifted use containers. Third, conflicts express walk moves sides rest. 275-276, 2363. sum, "[a] theory nowhere appears never during process, does comport Congress' intent, restricts designed [was] incapable defeating our conclusion [were] 'employees.' " 278-279, 2365. 13 Most litigation present took Terminal. At initial administrative level, doctrine. decisions. Fifth Circuit Jacksonville Shipyards, Inc. Perdue, 539 533 (1976). court instead all involved building, breaking 539-540. found "Ford's flat cars transportation," id., 543, "was ongoing ship," 544. 14 granted certiorari, vacated, remanded 433 904, 2967, 1088 remand, reasoning 80 (1978) (per curiam ). again 439 978, 99 562, 58 648 (1978), we affirm. IV 15 Petitioners urge employment."6 suggest if, States. waters, petitioners do mean Act; line. words, argue itself. They say formulation follows who, walked given day.7 16 plainly noted above, further requiring section refers uses phrase "longshorem[e]n person[s] operations" example engage no matter job. Since already limits need provide if places. therefore, support proposition statutory definition imports limitation narrower 3(a).8 17 difficulty petitioners' becomes plainer interpretation applied provision requirement. 2(4), 902(4), "employer" whole part, States" broadly If referred broader clause become virtually superfluous. decline construe so create differing requirements sentence. understanding embody give phases 2(4) consistent meanings. 18 discussion history9 Committees Houses recognized: 19 "To typical cargo, break bulk containerized form, typically unloaded immediately transported terminal waters. bill them area. Committee intend vessel, just activity. responsibility pick up stored trans-shipment covered, purely clerical require participate cargo."10 20 discusses terms what working.11 21 An obvious Blundo. He overland opened. Without indication ever required set foot employment. Co., 22 Land-based Senate Subcommittee Labor heard testimony 30%-35% repair done land.12 Furthermore, usual crew includes consist side frontmen attach ship's gear lifting hold stores inside ship.13 carry shipside devices board duties, incontestably Even concede Act.14 V 23 issue brought compress-warehouse task longshoreman.15 Similarly, longshoremen—not Ford—would went cars.16 basis distinguishing otherwise same is, Ports Beaumont Galveston without interruption Our unanimous expressly decided define contrary 275-279, 2363-2365. there principled performing tasks. believe explicit "longshoreman" "other describe demonstrates depends vagaries jurisdiction. 268, n. 30, 2359, 30. Instead, 267, 28, 28.17 transportation.18 25 serves creating nature, location, There doubt carrying locomotive engineer transporting person's "responsibility trans-shipment." S.Rep. 92-1125, p. (1972); H.R.Rep. 92-1441, (1972), U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 4708; see 275, 37, 2363, 37. 26 today expanding apply simple, uniform Adoption conflict goal, individual assignment policies employer. allowed him alternate assignments co-workers water, ship. shift employer's whim. See 276, 38, 38. contrast, reaches will enable employers predict reasonable assurance protected 27 Because correctly determined injuries, judgment 28 Affirmed. State, compensate local" Grant Smith-Porter Ship Rohde, 257 469, 476-477, 42 157, 158, 66 321 (1922); Western Fuel Garcia, 233, 242, 89, 90, 210 (1921). generally G. Gilmore Black, Admiralty 6-49 (2d ed. 1975). three ships' cranes When crane swung back toward land, knocked crushed against fourth along cases consolidated vividly illustrated arbitrariness lower courts fell workplace drowned. Stevedoring Corp. Oosting, 238 F.Supp. 78 (ED Va.1965), aff'd, 398 900 (CA4 1968) (en banc). difference body fell. 224-225, 354-355 (Douglas, J., dissenting). 1251. primary raise amount available abolish seaworthiness remedy owners outlaw shipowners' indemnification stevedores. 261-262, 18, 2355-2356, port, intact overland. holds consignee, shipment inland. 252-253, 2351, 2. break-bulk handling each item separately taken ashore. 255, 2352, dispute accidents 903(a), worked 902(4). Brief 7, 11, 62. oral argument, conceded acknowledged operating lifts argued Tr. Oral Arg. apparently assume necessarily 14-16. shipbreaker. argument supposes word "including" means "and" "as as." understand indicate larger group activities make Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary 581 (1973). fact, lends independent focused occupation location. specific vessel." extensive. Reports House contain identical about types pp. 10-11 4698. Report "expands contiguous related longshore work." supra, Debate contributed little restatements language. See, e. g., 118 Cong.Rec. 36270-36271 (1972) (remarks Sen. Williams); 36381-36382 Rep. Daniels). 13; 4708. cite decisions law Pennsylvania R. O'Rourke, 344 334, 339-340, 73 302, 305, 367 (1953); Nogueira York, N. H. 281 128, 133, 50 303, 304, 74 754 (1930). Neither operations constitute probably barred (1969). event, cannot obstruct current Hearings S. 2318 Public Welfare, 92d Cong., 2d Sess., 176 (testimony Ralph Hartman, Bethlehem Steel Corp.). witness asked company favor extending repairmen continuing practice limiting water. stated "we interpose objection facility yard." 177. Collective Bargaining Productivity 43-45 (1969); M. Norris, Maritime Personal Injuries 3, (3d 1975); U. Dept. Labor, Manpower Utilization-Job Security Longshore Industry (Boston) 40-41 (1964); id. (Baltimore), 32; (Houston-Galveston), 45-46, 65-69; id.(Jacksonville-Charleston), 38-40, 57-59; (Mobile), 36-37; (New Orleans), 35-36; York), 21-24; (Philadelphia), 37-38. Representatives 1922 "unloading car articles another" actually 639, 67th (1922). Supra, 72. 71. As 71-72, arrangement reflect general industry rule. supra 13, 60; (Baltimore) 31 35; (Jacksonville), 40. especially observation undermine 273-274, 2362-2363, spends partially

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