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This is a bricklayer's accident report, which
was printed in the
newsletter of the British equivalent of the Workers' Compensation
Board.
This is a true story. Had this guy died, he'd have received a
Darwin
Award for sure........
Dear Sir:
I am writing in
response to your request for additional
information in Block 3 of the accident report form. I put "Poor
planning"
as the cause of my accident. You asked for a fuller explanation
and
I trust the following details will be sufficient:
I am a
bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I was
working alone on the roof of a new six-story
building. When I
completed my work, I found I had some bricks left over,
which,
when weighed later were found to be slightly in excess of
500 lb..
Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower
them in a barrel by using a pulley, which was attached to the
side
of the building on the sixth floor.
Securing the
rope at ground level, I went up to the roof, swung
the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went down
and
untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow descent of
the
bricks.
You will note in Block
11 of the accident report form that I
weigh 135 lb.. Due to my surprise at being jerked off the
ground so
suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go
of the rope.
Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the
building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the
barrel which
was now proceeding downward at an equally impressive speed.
This
explains the fractured skull, minor abrasions the broken
collarbone, as
listed in section 3 of the accident report form.
Slowed only
slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping
until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into
the
pulley. Fortunately, by this time I had regained my
presence of mind
and was able to hold tightly to the rope, in spite of the
excruciating
pain I was now beginning to experience.
At approximately
the same time, however, the barrel of bricks
hit the ground, the bottom fell out of the barrel and the
bricks dumped out.
Now devoid of the weight of the bricks, that barrel weighed
only
approximately 50 lb.. I refer you again to my weight. As
you might
imagine, I began a rapid descent, down the side of the
building. In the
vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This
accounts for
the two fractured ankles, broken tooth and severe lacerations of
my
legs and lower body. Here my luck began to change slightly. The
encounter
with the barrel seemed to slow me enough to lessen my injuries
when I fell
into the pile of bricks and fortunately only three vertebrae were
cracked.
I am sorry to
report, however, that as I lay there on the pile
of bricks, in pain, unable to move, I again lost my composure and
presence
of mind and let go of the rope and I lay there watching the empty
barrel
begin its journey back down onto me. This explains the two broken
legs.
I hope this
answers your inquiry.
___________________________________________________
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